


Between Me and You (Part 2)

by bluebell08



Series: Between Me and You [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Action, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Graphic Description, Romance, Slow Burn, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:34:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28028607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluebell08/pseuds/bluebell08
Summary: A young kunoichi encounters a mysterious young man in her village and becomes drawn to him. As their paths converge, little did they know that their lives are connected and changes them both forever. (PART 2)
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Between Me and You [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2052924
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> PART 2 of Between Me and You!
> 
> This was originally a Sims story I posted on my Tumblr account, meaning the text is originally accompanied by images shot using The Sims 4. If you'd like to view the images along with the text, please go to the link below. Thank you and hope you guys will like this story!

[CHAPTER 1 STORY COMPANION/IMAGES](https://between-me-and-you-fic.tumblr.com/post/636677195910299648/part-2-chapter-1-one-book-down-two-more-to)

“One book down, two more to go.”

It was a sunny weekday afternoon, and Sachiko stretched her arms from her seat. Before her, a huge volume on medical ninjutsu laid open. Feeling satisfied after the turn of the last page, she finally closed the book, laid it on the side, and reached out for the other one.

It had been more than two years since the attempt at Konoha’s destruction. The village suffered great destruction on its infrastructure, as well as losses of lives of some of the shinobis and civilians. It turned out that the Hidden Sound Village had connived with the Hidden Sand Village to carry out the plan, but after having discovered the murder of the Fourth Kazekage, the Hidden Sand had realized they had been betrayed and manipulated during the invasion by Orochimaru. The Hidden Sand surrendered to the Hidden Leaf Village and offered their apologies, and soon both formed a peace treaty with each other. The Third Hokage was killed during the invasion, and soon the former student of the Third Hokage, one of the Legendary Sannin known throughout the shinobi lands, took over and ruled the Hidden Leaf Village as the Fifth Hokage.

In the span of two years, Sachiko continued to train with her uncle, learning and mastering the different techniques exclusively learned by the Chage clan, as well as other techniques in ninjutsu, genjutsu and taijutsu. Apart from that, she had requested for training also in basic medical ninjutsu at the hospital. After what happened to Hiro, she had resolved to learn it also, with the intention of being able to save and be more useful to her comrades in missions. Kakashi’s words had never left her all this time, and it had been her driving force to work hard and make use of her talents in hopes of becoming a better shinobi than she was more than two years ago.

She leaned back on her chair, wondering about Kakashi. Because of her training with her uncle, not to mention her training at the hospital, she never had the time to follow him around. She had neither seen him in the training grounds, nor had the luck of having a glimpse of him in the streets. Often times, her body would pick up his chakra from afar, but with her tight schedule, never had the luxury of following it. Apart from that, she had learned from her uncle how to turn off her chakra sensor at will when she felt overwhelmed, which most of the time she did, therefore not being able to sense Kakashi’s chakra all the time.

She got up from her seat and switched to sitting on the table, looking out at the window to the view of the village below. To say that she was swamped with work and training was an understatement. It didn’t help that her uncle had asked for a favor from the Fifth Hokage to take her in as her trainee and assistant. Tsunade and Izanagi had known each other for a long time, being comrades in the past shinobi war they were both part of. Apparently, her uncle had thought it was a good idea for Sachiko to train under Tsunade, having a reputation of being the strongest kunoichi and the shinobi world’s greatest medical ninja. Not that Sachiko mind; in fact, she was grateful. But much to Sachiko’s dismay, her idea of training under the “World’s Greatest Medical Ninja” apparently differs with the Fifth Hokage as all Tsunade ever had her do was run errands for her. And apparently, today was no exception.

She sighed deeply and turned her gaze towards the door. A knock was made, and the door opened, revealing a woman with short, black hair. “Sachiko-san,” the woman smiled apologetically, “sorry to interrupt your studying, but Lady Tsunade is calling for you.”

Sachiko got down from the table and stretched her arms once more, smiling back at the newcomer. “Don’t worry about it, Shizune-sempai. I was just about to take a break anyway. I’ll go right now to her office.” Shizune nodded and Sachiko joined her, leaving the room and heading towards the Fifth Hokage’s office.  
_____

They reached the door of the Hokage’s office, and Shizune made a knock on it three times.

“Come in.”

Shizune turned the knob, and both she and Sachiko entered the room. Tsunade was standing behind her desk and was looking for something in a pile of ledgers before her. “Lady Tsunade, we’re here.”

“Ahh yes,” Tsunade replies, not looking from her current task, “Sachiko, I need you to do something for me.”

 _Of course_ , Sachiko grimaced internally. “What is it, Lady Tsunade?”

Tsunade finally found what she was looking for and pulled the document from the stack. She walked around the desk and stopped in front of Sachiko, her arm stretched out. “I need you to check on a patient for me.” Sachiko reached out and took the paper from her hand. Her eyes scanned the document and stopped on the text right beside the “Patient’s Name” label. Kakashi Hatake.

Her heart stopped for a moment, and her eyes widened at the text. “K-Kakashi H-Hatake??”

“Yes,” Tsunade confirmed, raising a brow at her, “Is there a problem?”

Sachiko couldn’t believe the task being given to her, still looking incredulously at the name. One minute ago she was wondering about him, and now she was to see him. In person, and _communicating with him_. Her unintended prayers were graciously answered, and she wondered if the gods were playing tricks on her. She shook her head. “N-no, no problem at all. It’s just that, uhmm… are you sure you want me to do this? I mean, Sakura might be more fit for this…”

Tsunade blinked at her, eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. “No, I can’t assign Sakura for this task because she’s currently out in a mission with the newly reformed Team 7. And I specifically want _you_ to do this for me. What’s gotten into you, Sachiko? You’re normally not hesitant to take on a task.”

“A-ahh, nothing’s wrong, ” Sachiko stammered, then smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, Lady Tsunade. Must have been all that studying making me like this, hehe.”

Tsunade sighed harshly and massaged the gap between her eyebrows, “Anyway, I’m off to a meeting with the daimyo of the Fire Country, that’s why I need you to do this for me. I need you to go check on him while I’m away. All of the information you need are in that paper. Any more questions?”

Sachiko shook her head, hands shaking slightly as she gripped the paper. “Good,” Tsunade said. “I won’t be back ‘til evening. You can report to me in the morning. You’re dismissed.”

As Sachiko left the room, she could feel her heart beating furiously. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would be meeting Kakashi, and in this way, as well. She gulped loudly, and soon she found her legs moving, bringing her out of the Hokage’s Residence, out in the streets and towards the direction of the hospital.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sachiko arrives at the hospital and finally gets to meet Kakashi after all these years of watching him from afar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally a Sims story I posted on my Tumblr account, meaning the text is originally accompanied by images shot using The Sims 4. If you'd like to view the images along with the text, please go to the link below. Thank you and hope you guys will like this story!

[ Chapter 2 Story Companion Images 1 ](https://between-me-and-you-fic.tumblr.com/post/638464638300962816/part-2-chapter-2-%C2%BD-of-images-for-22-of-the)

[ Chapter 2 Story Companion Images 2 ](https://between-me-and-you-fic.tumblr.com/post/638464964785520640/part-2-chapter-2-22-of-the-images-for-%C2%BD)

As much as Sachiko wanted her legs to take her slowly to the hospital, to her dismay, she soon found herself already inside the building. Ascending a flight of stairs, Sachiko took one last step up, and soon she found herself on the floor where Kakashi's room was. She stopped for a while, hesitating, and after she took a deep breath and tidied her clothes, slowly made her way towards the room.

She couldn't be more anxious than she already was. She moved her legs as slowly as she could, and as she did, her left hand fidgeted on her side while the other clutched tightly on the patient's file. It had been a very long time since she had seen Kakashi, and it had been more than 2 years since the last time she did. She could feel her heart beating furiously in her chest as excitement and curiosity filled her. She was to finally  _ meet _ him, see him up-close, and talk to him in person. Her theories and assumptions would finally be put to rest as she could finally ask him and know what was really going on in his head, what was causing the sorrow in his heart, why he would stand in front of the memorial stone and the graves he frequently visited for hours and hours, deeply lost in his thoughts. She could finally be able to hear all of these straight from him, straight from this enigma that had captured her interest for years.

But as much as she wanted to, she really couldn't do all of that. She was here for a more professional purpose, and only for that purpose -- to carry out a task ordered by the Fifth Hokage and check on a patient whose name is just part of the list of the many ninjas and civilians admitted in the hospital, and nothing more. After this, she would leave the room, hand over the report to the Hokage, and probably never meet nor talk to the man again. And that was just that.

She wouldn't even be able to ask all of these personal questions -- not that she ever had the right to. To Kakashi, she was just probably another nameless face, one of his many colleagues who he probably never had noticed before. He had never personally met her, as far as she was concerned, and this would be the first time that he would. However, that didn't hinder her from relishing in the fact that she would finally be seeing him face-to-face, and it would be very different from the covert, longing stares that she had pleasured herself with. As she stopped in front of the door to his room, suddenly her eyes widened at the memory of all those times she had secretly watched him from afar. She desperately wished for the ground to swallow her up right then and there.

She paused in front of the door and concentrated. Inside, she could sense Kakashi's chakra -- all too familiar to her -- and another one she thought she might had come across before but couldn't remember. She took a deep breath. Slowly, she raised her fist and finally knocked on the door three times.

"Come in."

She slid the door open and entered the room. Before her, Kakashi Hatake was sitting upright on the hospital bed, holding a book in his hand. Standing beside him was a tall middle-aged man with long, white hair. They both looked at her inquiringly as she made her way towards them.

"Good afternoon," she smiled as she waved her hand at them, stopping at the foot of the bed. "My name's Sachiko. Lady Tsunade sent me to check on you today." _ Smooth. The flawless deception of a ninja _ . She commended herself internally for managing to sound so calm and indifferent despite the raging storm going on inside her.

"Oh, yes. I was expecting her today, actually," Kakashi stated, and she took note of his deep, husky voice. "I guess she's not available today?"

"Mmm-hmm," Sachiko hummed, not looking at him. "She has some other matters to attend to right now." Still avoiding his gaze, she walked towards the bedside table and took the patient's chart. She scanned the document, taking in the information written there. Wondering what caused the famed Copy Ninja to land in the hospital, she checked the file in her hand again. Her eyes widened a bit when she saw how wrinkled the paper was from clutching it so tightly in her worry. She placed the paper on the clipboard and smoothed it out before scanning it, trying to act as cool and unperturbed as possible.

According to the document Tsunade had given her, Kakashi had previously been on a mission to retrieve the current Kazekage from the Akatsuki. Apparently, his chakra had been drained from overusing his Mangekyou Sharingan during battle, which landed him in the hospital bed, unable to move for quite some time. She scanned the document further until she came across a piece of information: low stamina.  _ No wonder he would be this drained _ , she thought. Yet she raised her eyebrows a little upon coming across this information, and marveled internally over it. The fact that Kakashi wasn't an Uchiha and yet was able to master the Sharingan -- able to wield it with such skill, even with low chakra reserves -- deeply amazed her. The man truly did live up to his reputation, and this added more to her intrigue.

She wondered how he could have attained the Sharingan, when suddenly she felt a mass of warm chakra appear beside her. She looked up and saw Kakashi's middle-aged companion looking down at her intensely. He flashed her a flirtatious smile, "Hello there, pretty kunoichi. I believe I haven't seen you before. Are you a new assistant of Tsunade?" The man towered over her, and seeing him up-close, noted that he looked old enough to be her father. She noticed he had tanned skin, and on his face had thin red paint that ran from the lower lids of both eyes and down to his chin. His hair was white, long and unkempt, which he wore in a low ponytail. She figured he was also a ninja as he wore a horned forehead protector (which bore the characters for the word "Oil"), and he wore grey shinobi clothes underneath a long, red sleeveless vest. His features sparked a memory somewhere in the back of her brain, but she couldn't really remember it. "Umm, y-yes but I-I'm not sure we have met before," she stuttered, taking a step back from him. Suddenly, she felt uncomfortable around him.

The man continued to gaze at her invitingly, and he smiled wider. " Well, such a shame, for I would have loved to have met you sooner. How about we get to know each other later over a few drinks? My treat." She continued to stare at him both warily and curiously, when suddenly the memory became clear to her. "You know what," she wondered aloud, "I think I might have."

The man blinked and gawked at her, "Y-You do?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed. "I remember you now. You're Jiraiya-sama, one of the Legendary Sannin. My Uncle Izanagi used to be your comrade during the Second Great Ninja War. You used to visit my uncle at our house after your travels when I was little."

Eyes widening, Jiraiya gaped at her at this revelation. "I-Izanagi Chage? You're Izanagi's niece? That little girl who used to play in your pond before? W-well, haha! Would you look at that? Small world, indeed. How's your uncle?" He laughed awkwardly, scratching his head. He took a few steps back, giving them a considerably decent space between them.

"He's doing well! Thank you for your concern. He's currently in the village -- I'll let him know you're here." She smiled politely at Jiraiya, and then turned to Kakashi. "If you don't mind, Hatake-san, I would need to do a light check-up on you."

Her heart started to beat faster. She smiled at him calmly as she placed the clipboard on the bedside table, but internally she felt like she could burst at any moment. Part of the task required her to perform a light examination on the patient, and that included physical contact. She grimaced inwardly at the thought, but at the same time, the idea of touching him excited her. Appalled at her own reaction, she mentally chastised herself, and she focused on keeping up with the deception. Kakashi nodded in acknowledgement, and she proceeded with the examination.

Carefully, she took his wrist and placed two fingers on his pulse. His skin felt warm, and it sent tingles to her fingers and down her spine. As she held his wrist, she tried her hardest to remain composed, and after a while, carefully released him and jotted down notes on the chart. She continued with the rest of the examination with the undivided attention of a horse with blinders, only answering or nodding occasionally to a question, hoping that her façade wouldn't break.

As she lightly held his face for an eye examination, she steadied her hands, desperately hoping her fingers wouldn't tremble. Her fingers lightly touched his lower eyelid, gently bringing it down, and with the same delicateness, repeated the gesture on the other eye. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine to be in this close proximity with him. Up-close, she took note of the features of the man. His skin was pale, a bit rough with light scars from battle, but nevertheless warm. His eyes were heavy-lidded -- onyx on the right and the Sharingan on the left -- and a long, thin scar ran through his left eye from above the eyebrow and maybe down further underneath the mask. As much as she was tempted to see the rest of his face, it was all she could get a glimpse of. As she wondered what more could be under the fabric covering his face, her imagination suddenly ran wild, and she tried her hardest to keep it reined.

But there was something else she wanted to know more. As she continued to check on Kakashi, she concentrated for a moment. A faint air of loneliness still lingered around the man. It was fainter than what she had sensed a few years ago, nevertheless the emotion seemed to have still persisted and hung around him. She frowned inwardly. Apparently, Kakashi still had not moved on from whatever that was bothering him years ago.

When the examination was complete, she carefully released her hold on his face and turned her eyes away from him immediately. "Everything seems to be normal," she remarked, her eyes still on the clipboard before her as she scribbled away. "I'll send these results to Lady Tsunade. In the meantime, please get some more rest. Thank you for your cooperation, Hatake-san." She flashed him a quick smile and made a light bow before him and Jiraiya. As she turned her back and started to leave, she suddenly stopped and turned to face Kakashi. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot."

She approached the bed and stopped at his side. Raising both of her hands, she looked at him inquiringly and asked, "May I?" Kakashi's open eye widened, staring at her in confusion. He nodded for her to proceed, and she lowered her hands, bringing it just right above his stomach. A glowing blue light started emitting from her palms and entered right through the fabric of his shirt and through his skin. Kakashi stared at the light entering his body, and even without asking her, seemed to understand what she was doing as he felt faint energy slowly invigorating his body.

The light started to wane, and she withdrew her hands. She turned to Kakashi, "I just transferred some chakra to you. That should make you feel a bit less fatigued." Kakashi moved his body a bit, stretching his legs. "It did make me feel a bit more energized. Thank you very much, Sachiko-san."

"No problem," Sachiko smiled at him. " I should get going now. Please continue your rest." She gave a light bow again and headed towards the door. When she was finally outside the room, she slid the door closed behind her and leaned against the wall. She heaved a sigh of relief.  _ That went well than expected _ , she thought. A small smile played on her lips, and finally, she made her way downstairs.

As soon as Sachiko was out of the room, Kakashi turned his gaze from the door and turned to Jiraiya. "Jiraiya-sama," he started, "What do you know about Sachiko-san?"

Jiraiya shifted his weight and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "I knew that would catch your interest," he smirked, and then continued, "Sachiko is part of the Chage clan -- a small, old clan in the Hidden Leaf Village having deep chakra reserves and known for their ability to take and give chakra at will. The bloodline ability users in the clan are very rare, with only one member per generation inheriting the abilities. Currently, only Sachiko and her uncle, Izanagi are the known surviving users of this clan ability."

"Hmm," Kakashi hummed, deep in thought. "Their ability is very beneficial in missions or battles involving squads."

"True," Jiraiya agreed, "Izanagi's abilities were heavily utilized during the Second Great War. That man has extraordinary deep reserves. It's amazing he was able to keep up with the demand at that time, and to think he was also engaged in battles…"

He scratched the back of his head and let out an awkward chuckle. "Geez, who would have thought she was Izanagi's niece? I nearly took her out on a date, hahaha… ha ha..." He continued to laugh awkwardly, when suddenly a mischievous smile played in his lips, and he turned to Kakashi. "Say, Kakashi… she looks cute, doesn't she?"

Kakashi blinked at Jiraiya, looking confused. "P-pardon, Jiraiya-sama?"

Jiraiya's smile turned into a toothy grin. "You two would look good together. I can talk to her uncle for you, if you want. Speed things up a little, if you know what I mean." He wiggled his eyebrows and playfully punched Kakashi in the arm.

Kakashi let out a light, awkward laugh as he scratched his head, looking a bit flustered. "Jiraiya-sama..." 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little did Sachiko know, she'll be meeting Kakashi again so soon. But she didn't expect she would meet him this way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally a Sims story I posted on my Tumblr account, meaning the text is originally accompanied by images shot using The Sims 4. If you'd like to view the images along with the text, please go to the link below. Thank you and hope you guys will like this story!

[ Chapter 3 Story Companion Images 1 ](https://between-me-and-you-fic.tumblr.com/post/639223755827265536/part-2-chapter-3-13-things-dont-always-go)

[ Chapter 3 Story Companion Images 2 ](https://between-me-and-you-fic.tumblr.com/post/639224151634280448/part-2-chapter-3-23-books-on-anatomical)

[ Chapter 3 Story Companion Images 3 ](https://between-me-and-you-fic.tumblr.com/post/639224276945387520/part-2-chapter-3-33-the-midday-sun-perched)

Things don’t always go smoothly the way one expects them to.

So thought Kakashi as he walked towards the Hokage’s office. The special training with Naruto had already started, and although the boy was catching on surprisingly quickly, Yamato apparently was struggling. To keep the chakra of the Nine-Tailed Fox from leaking out, Kakashi had asked Yamato to aid Naruto in his training as he alone in the Hidden Leaf Village could suppress the demon fox’s chakra. It really shouldn’t had been an issue since the spritey blonde-haired teen had an unusually large amount of stamina. But the training required heavy use of chakra -- not to mention the boy was being overzealous in his training -- and it had caused the demon fox’s chakra to peek from time to time. Yamato had been excellent in keeping the evil chakra from fully taking over Naruto, but it wasn’t like he had the same amount of stamina in him like the teen. At the current rate the training was going, it wasn’t far off that Yamato might not be able to keep up with the boy. And this could lead to serious, harrowing consequences.

He let out a deep sigh. Slowing down Naruto’s training wasn’t an option. With the Akatsuki currently on the move, it wouldn’t be long before Naruto would have to come face-to-face with them. And although he was confident in Naruto’s skills in defending himself, compared to the Akatsuki, he wouldn’t stand a chance. The clock was ticking, and it wasn’t going to slow down. Naruto had to finish his training soon, and he could only hope that he would be able to. But with Yamato’s situation, wasn’t there anything or anyone else that could help them?

Soon, he found himself in front of the Hokage’s office. He knocked at the door, and soon after, Tsunade’s voice instructed him to enter. “Hokage-sama,” Kakashi greeted her, walking towards her and stopping in front of the desk.

“Hatake,” Tsunade acknowledged, looking at him from behind her desk, “Well? Any news about Naruto’s training?”

“Uhh, well, it’s coming along nicely. Naruto’s surprisingly catching on quickly, but…”

“But?” Tsunade emphasized, raising an eyebrow.

“Well,” Kakashi continued, scratching the back of his head, “it’s Yamato I’m worried about. At the current rate the training is going, I’m afraid  _ he _ might not be able to keep up…”

Tsunade sighed deeply, and it seemed to Kakashi that she had read his mind. Yamato didn’t have the same chakra reserves as Naruto had, and sometimes the training sessions would go on until evening. He would need a large amount of chakra to keep going, and he couldn’t possibly amass chakra while suppressing the Nine-tailed Fox’s chakra from leaking out. If only there was a way to help him keep going, a way to provide him spare chakra to keep him from running out of it… 

_ Spare chakra _ , Kakashi thought. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind as a memory of a recent event played in his head.

_ A small, old clan in the Hidden Leaf Village having deep chakra reserves and known for their ability to take and give chakra at will. _

His lone visible eye perked up at the idea, and he thought that it just might be the kind of help that he was looking for.

“Lady Tsunade,” Kakashi started, “if it’s possible, I would like to request the aid of another Hidden Leaf ninja in Naruto’s training.”

Tsunade stared at him, raising an eyebrow. “Well, I suppose you have a reason why you think that will help Yamato. And who do you have in mind?”

“Sachiko Chage, if possible.”

“Ahh,” Tsunade smirked, leaning back on her chair. “You’ve met Sachiko already, of course. Now I understand the logic behind your choice. She’ll provide the spare chakra once Yamato runs out of it.”

“Yes,” Kakashi confirmed, “or better yet, before he does.”

“I see,” Tsunade nodded, and she leaned towards the desk, her chin on her fingers. “I don’t see it as a bad idea. Alright, I’m assigning Sachiko to aid in Naruto’s training. Although, she’s currently on leave today. If she’s available, you may go to her house and inform her of the task. She is to start immediately. Tell her it’s an order from me.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” Kakashi said. After discussing further details on the task and giving him Sachiko’s address, Tsunade dismissed him from her office.

\-------

Megumi Chage, Sachiko’s mother, figured she could always use a helping hand with the household chores. Not that she was really complaining; she could do all of them efficiently on her own, and she prided herself for being able to do so. Ever since her shinobi husband died in the Third Great Shinobi War, raising two daughters alone (and an adopted son, as well) for the past 20 years while having a job and maintaining the house was a feat for a woman like her. Then again, she had always been a woman of strength -- and she had to be. She couldn’t let her children see her crumble -- it wasn’t an option for her -- so she persevered in all of her duties. And with everything that she had been through, clearly finishing simple household chores alone on a weekend should be a breeze for her.

But really, she didn’t mind using a helping hand at that moment.

Holding a basket of dirty laundry, she stopped in front of Sachiko’s bedroom door. “You know, I could really use a helping hand right now.” She waited for an answer, but when she didn’t receive any, she knocked on the door. “ _ I said _ , I could really use a helping hand right now.”

“I’m busy.” A voice called out from the other side of the room.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, child, you’re on leave today. At least help your mother with the chores.”

She waited for another response, but this time she didn’t get any. Megumi let out an exasperated sigh, and she walked away from the door as she held tightly to the basket of clothes, airing her grievances. She wondered aloud how her first-born would ever fare in marriage. She continued to air her worries when Sachiko’s voice called out again from the room, this time louder than before, “I  _ heard _ that.”

Shifting the basket to the other side, Megumi walked on and went downstairs. Another exasperated sigh left her lips. She continued to ponder on her first-born, and worries about Sachiko’s plans for herself. It wasn’t that Megumi wasn’t pleased with how far her daughter had come. When it comes to Sachiko's career, Megumi couldn’t be any less proud. Her older brother, Izanagi, even had said so -- Sachiko had significantly improved in the past 2 years, and it seemed that she had finally become serious in pursuing her current path. But she worried about  _ another _ aspect of her future. Time wasn’t slowing down, and Megumi was getting older each day. She was concerned about her daughters’ security, and she didn’t want that day to come when she would leave her children when they had no one to take care of them. Of course she would rather see them happy in their lives and marry for love -- above anything else -- but she wondered when in the near future that would be. It wasn’t like Sachiko had ever brought home a man before, and she wondered if she ever would.

As she reached the ground floor, she noticed through the front door window that there was someone standing outside the gate. She couldn’t see the whole figure as the gate didn’t have any openings, and could only make out a mop of silver hair. She placed the laundry basket on the floor and went outside to greet the visitor.

“Yes, may I help you?”

Standing outside the gate was a tall, silver-haired Hidden Leaf Jonin. His face was mostly covered with a mask and a forehead protector worn askew, save for the lone visible heavy-lidded onyx eye. Something about the Jonin made Megumi think she might have seen him before, and as her eyes landed again on the mop of silver hair, she finally realized who he was.  _ You’re _ \--

“Good morning, ma’am. I’m Kakashi Hatake,” the Jonin waved at her, smiling. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I was told Sachiko Chage lives here. May I ask if she’s currently home?” Megumi gaped, staring at Kakashi incredulously. 

Perhaps, she had spoken too soon.

_ Kakashi Hatake. Isn’t he the White Fang’s son? _

“Y-yes, she is. May I ask for what purpose?”

“Oh, well...” Kakashi smiled at her, scratching the back of his neck, “The Hokage wanted me to relay a message to her.”

Megumi couldn’t believe her eyes. She continued to stare at him open-mouthed for a while until she finally came to her senses. Stepping aside and opening the gate wider, she let him in. “Oh, please do come in. I’m sorry I’ve let you wait outside. Come inside.” She beckoned him to enter, and once inside the house, she motioned him to sit on the sofa.

“Please wait here. She’ll be down shortly,” Megumi said. She turned to her other daughter, Kiko, who was in the room.

“Kiko, please tell your sister to come down. She has a visitor.”

\-------

Books on anatomical figure drawing lay strewn on the floor as Sachiko’s figure hunched over the sketchpad in her hands. After weeks of constant training, studying and running errands for the Fifth Hokage, finally she was granted a day of rest, and she wanted to make the most out of this short vacation by catching up on her art. She had not forgotten her first love, and in between her training and duties to the village, always made sure to find time for it.

That day was no exception. She decided that on that day, she would focus on working on her art alone. She thought she deserved it after all those stressful weeks of toil, and it also served as an outlet for her to relax. No work nor household chore would get in the way of her passion even in just a few hours that day, and she had turned off her chakra sensor that morning to make sure there were no distractions.

Although when her mother had asked for her help, she did feel a bit guilty for turning her down. It wasn’t that she didn’t help around the house, but she only wanted a few hours for herself that day. To be able to have those hours for herself alone was luxury, and she didn’t want it wasted on anything else other than working on her dream. In fact, she did know how to do some chores, and was very diligent in carrying them out. It was true though that she wasn’t entirely domestic, only to some extent, but that did not mean that she did not have a clue how to run a house. 

She continued working on her exercises, putting most of her focus on them, only for her focus to be broken off by loud knocks on the door.

“Onēsan (older sister),” Kiko’s voice rang from the other side of the door, “mother’s asking you to come downstairs.” 

Sachiko let out a deep sigh as she pushed the sketchpad off her lap and placed it on the floor. She got up and walked towards the door and opened the lock, yanking it open. “I know, I know. I’ll help with the laundry,” she snapped at Kiko before the younger girl could voice out her next sentence and walked past her.

“Wait, but your clothes --!”

“I know. I’ll wash my own clothes,” Sachiko grunted, waving a hand at Kiko’s direction as she went downstairs. 

Kiko looked a bit mortified as she watched her older sister disappear from her view. “But that’s not what I meant…”

Sachiko reached the landing and continued to make her way down the stairs, muttering under her breath how she should be relaxing that day.  _ Just for a few hours _ , she pleaded. When she finally reached the ground floor, she turned to her left and entered the living room. She was about to call Megumi when she thought she noticed a mop of silver hair floating above the sofa.

For a moment, her eyes steadied on it and adjusted to the view, and she could register that the mop of hair was attached to a head, and the head was attached to the whole body of a full-grown man in Jonin gear. She squinted her eyes at the vision in front of her, and in that moment, as if all the pieces of the puzzle were finally pieced together, her brain finally registered what was happening and who was sitting in their living room.

Her mother noticed her standing in the doorway and greeted her, “Sachiko, you have a visitor today.” Kakashi moved from his seat and turned to Sachiko, smiling at her as he waved his hand, “Yo.”

Sachiko stood frozen at the spot, unable to comprehend what was currently happening. Kakashi Hatake was sitting on  _ their _ sofa, in  _ their _ living room, in  _ their _ house, apparently looking for  _ her _ . She wondered if she was dreaming, or if the gods were still not done playing tricks on her, when she suddenly realized how underdressed she actually was. She glanced down her body and gaped at her sleeping shorts and t-shirt, realizing that underneath it -- to her horror -- she wasn’t wearing any bra.

“G-give me a minute. I’ll be right back!” Hurriedly, she left the living room and dashed towards the stairs. On her way to her bedroom, she passed by a nervous Kiko who was standing near the stairs, appearing to have been listening to the conversation. “Why didn’t you tell me Kakashi is here??” Sachiko hissed at her.

“But that’s what I was supposed to tell you before you cut me off!” Kiko justified, looking at her incredulously as Sachiko stormed off to her room. Suddenly, an amused smile played on Kiko’s lips, and she called out to her, “Kakashi? Is that his name? Is he your boyfriend??”

Sachiko closed the door behind her shut. Her heart pounded fast as her thoughts raced, looking for answers as to why Kakashi was in their home. She wondered why she couldn’t have sensed his chakra beforehand, when she suddenly remembered that she turned off her chakra sensor that morning. She cursed herself inwardly for it and immediately dashed towards her closet. She yanked open the door and dug frantically for clothes to wear, until she finally settled for a turtleneck top and a skirt. She yanked her house clothes off and hurriedly put on the new ones, making sure to smooth out any undesirable wrinkle on the clothing. Checking her face on the mirror, she frowned at the lack of color on her face, and proceeded to add some blush on her cheeks and a rosy tint on her lips. She combed her hair, making sure there weren’t any stray strands in the wrong places. Finally, she checked her breath, and she was glad that she brushed her teeth earlier that morning. 

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, pleased with how decent she actually looked. She noticed that the shade of blush in her cheeks seemed a little paler than what she liked, and was about to add more, when she stopped herself short. She let out a light huff and shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. It was ridiculous that she was acting this way. After all, she thought, it wasn’t as if Kakashi was there to take her out, right? 

She left her room and went downstairs. When she came back to the living room, she found her mother talking to Kakashi. “Ahh Sachiko,” her mother greeted her as soon as she saw her in the doorway, “Hatake-san just told me how the two of you met.” Beside her, Kakashi let out a light, awkward laugh and rubbed the back of his neck.

“ _ So _ ... umm,” Sachiko cleared her throat, ignoring her mother and turning to Kakashi while trying to sound as casual as possible, “you were looking for me?”

“Ahh! Yes,” Kakashi smiled at her, his hand still at the back of his neck, “Lady Tsunade has asked me to deliver to you a message.”

“Oh.. umm, a mission?”

“Well, not really a mission, but kind of..”

“Well, how lovely,” Megumi remarked, standing up and walking towards the kitchen. “I actually just bought sweets from the market this morning. Goes well with tea. Maybe you both would like some as you discuss this task from the Hokage?”

“Oh! That’s very kind of you, Mrs. Chage, but really please, I don’t mean to bother you…”

“ _ Nonsense _ , I don’t feel bothered at all! I  _ insist _ …”

Sachiko’s mouth twitched.  _ This isn’t good. _ She knew her mother well enough to know that Megumi meant to fish out information on Kakashi and his relationship with her. Wanting to avoid the awkward situation, she immediately thought of an excuse.

“Oh, umm, actually!” Sachiko quickly interrupted her. “Actually, these discussions about missions are considered confidential, so I’m thinking of taking this discussion somewhere else more private. Right, Hatake-san?”

Before Megumi could protest, Sachiko quickly grabbed Kakashi’s hand. “Oi!” Without looking back at her mother, she quickly led Kakashi out of the living room and out in the street.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Sachiko turned to Kakashi. “Sorry for dragging you out like that,” she apologized to him, smiling sheepishly. “But I had to get us out before my mother could force feed us. She can be really persistent like that.” She didn’t feel like telling Kakashi her mother’s real intention, of course.

“Ahh, that’s fine.” Kakashi let out a light chuckle. “That was really thoughtful of her, actually.”

She stared at his face, noticing how his eye turned into a crescent shape as he smiled, when she realized that her hand was still gripping his. She felt her cheeks burn, and she quickly released his hand, turning away her gaze from him.

“So…umm… you said Lady Tsunade has a task for me?”

“Ahh, yes. Right. Although, it’s actually more of a request from me…”

Sachiko blinked, wondering if she heard him right.  _ A request from him? What does he mean? _

“Well, you see…” Kakashi hesitated for a while as he looked away, then continued, “We need a helping hand in Naruto’s training, and well, I was hoping you could help us. I asked the Hokage if we could get you for the training, and she agreed.”

Sachiko blinked again, not entirely sure she was understanding him. “But, how can I be of help…?”

“Well,” Kakashi looked at her, and he smiled again. “I’ve seen your ability when we met at the hospital, and I believe that will be greatly beneficial to Naruto’s current training. But of course, it’s not really Naruto who will be benefiting from your ability, but someone else who’ll also be helping with the training. The training is about to start today actually. If you’re willing, we can go together to the training grounds and I can explain everything to you on the way there. Well, of course, if you’re not busy today, that is…”

She couldn’t believe that this was happening to her. She still wondered if this was all a dream or still a nasty trick played by the gods. But whether or not it was, if it was a dream, it was something she wouldn’t mind waking up from. And if it was a trick, she gratefully thanked the gods for it. She had made up her mind. She didn’t have to think twice.

“I accept!” 

Kakashi blinked, and Sachiko quickly realized how over-enthusiastic she must have sounded. “I mean… of course, I’ll do the task. I’ll help with Naruto’s training.” 

Kakashi gave a light chuckle, his visible eye turning into a crescent moon shape as he gave her a close-eyed smile. “Really...thank you, Sachiko-san. If you’re ready, we can go there now. It’s just in the forest right outside the village. I’ll lead the way.”

Sachiko nodded, and she went with him. As she walked beside him, her heart pounded as excitement filled her. She might not know exactly what was going on, but she knew for sure that she had never looked forward this much in the days to come.

\-------

The midday sun perched high in the sky as Izanagi went home for lunch. Entering the dining area, he saw his younger sister, Megumi, who had just finished setting the table. “I’m home,” he said as he took a seat. “Where are the girls?”

“Kiko is just finishing her homework and will be down shortly. Sachiko’s currently out…”

“Ahh,” Izanagi hummed as he opened the newspaper. Megumi placed the tray of food on the table and slowly turned to him. “Izanagi-nīsan (older brother),” she spoke with a serious tone in her voice. Izanagi stopped reading and looked at his sister. Megumi continued, “It’s about Sachiko. Sakumo’s son came by earlier looking for her.”

Izanagi paused at the news, his expression changing slightly until it turned nonchalant again. “For what purpose?” he asked her.

“The Hokage sent him to deliver a message for a mission or some sort. She's currently with him,” Megumi replied, looking at him intently.

Izanagi put down the newspaper on the table. His gaze left his sister as he stared out the window, completely deep in thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sachiko had started assisting the team with Naruto's training. In a matter of days, she had grown quite at ease with the group, but found Kakashi distant and aloof. One evening of merriment, his walls come crashing down in a way she didn't expect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally a Sims story I posted on my Tumblr account, meaning the text is originally accompanied by images shot using The Sims 4. If you'd like to view the images along with the text, please go to the link below. Thank you and hope you guys will like this story!
> 
> Warnings: Alcohol, intoxication, depression, mentions of death

[CHAPTER 4 STORY COMPANION/IMAGES](https://between-me-and-you-fic.tumblr.com/post/639936963316744192/part-2-chapter-4-warnings-alcohol)

The walk to the training grounds was interesting and a bit awkward. Well, at least to Sachiko, it was. As Kakashi explained her task, she could feel her heart pounding inside her chest. She kept a straight face, nodding occasionally to show him she was listening, and asked questions when she needed some clarifications. Beyond the deception, her mind was all over the place. It was hard to remain composed, but she tried her best. She had never imagined herself walking beside Kakashi, talking to him and working with him. Everything that was happening still seemed surreal to her.

They continued walking in the forest until they reached a clearing. Sachiko noticed there were already two male ninjas waiting in the training grounds, and as soon as she and Kakashi came into view, the pair turned to look at them.

“You’re late!” One of the pair pointed his finger accusingly at Kakashi. He was a young ninja of about 16, and he had spiky blonde hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a black and orange zipped-up jacket and trousers, and around his forehead was a Konoha forehead protector. Sachiko immediately recognized the boy as Naruto, and her eyes regarded his figure now towering over her. She marvelled at how much the boy had grown. It was as if it was only yesterday that she had seen him as a little boy.

“Hmm? Well, I uhh, had to take care of something,” Kakashi explained, his hand once more at the back of his head.

“Kakashi-sensei, you never changed,” Naruto huffed, crossing his arms on his chest. “Seriously, after more than two years of not seeing each other, you’re still late.”

“Hey, hey,” Kakashi raised his hands in front of him, “I told you I had to take care of something. The proof,” and he gestured towards Sachiko. Sachiko blinked as the two pairs of eyes turned to look at her inquiringly.

“Everyone, this is Sachiko-san. She’ll be assisting us with the training,” Kakashi smiled at them.

Naruto stared at her face for a while. He squinted his eyes as if he was trying to remember something, and his face suddenly lit up. “Hey, I know you, ya know!”

“Oh, hey Naruto,” Sachiko smiled, waving at him. “It’s been a long time --”

“Wait, wait!” Naruto’s eyes widened. “Aren’t you Iruka-sensei’s girlfrie - ACK!” Before Naruto could finish his sentence, Sachiko smacked his back hard, laughing awkwardly. “It’s good to see you again, too! My, how tall you’ve grown, hahaha… ha ha…”

“Oh?” Kakashi looked at them both. “I didn’t know you knew each other already.”

“Well, yes actually,” Sachiko grinned, patting Naruto on the back, “We met years ago through my godbrother, Iruka. He was Iruka’s student at the Academy.”

“Ahhh small world, indeed,” Kakashi chuckled, and he turned to the other ninja with chestnut brown hair and a face shield. “This is Tenzou. He makes sure to keep Naruto from phasing into the Tailed Beast Cloak mode.”

“Kakashi-senpai,” the brown-haired jonin complained, “I told you to call me Yamato now.” He turned to Sachiko and gave a curt nod, “A pleasure to meet you, Sachiko-san.”

Kakashi chuckled at his junior. “You’re too serious, Tenzou. Anyway,” he continued, “Lady Tsunade and I have figured out how to keep you from running out of chakra, and this is where Sachiko-san comes in.”

Both Yamato and Naruto turned to look at Sachiko, curious as to what Kakashi meant. Sachiko felt a little uncomfortable under their gaze.

“Huh? What do you mean, Kakashi-sensei? I don’t get it.” Naruto scratched his head.

“I, umm, will transfer chakra to Yamato-san,” Sachiko answered for him. Both Yamato and Naruto’s eyes widened, and it was Yamato who spoke first, “No way. You must be from the Chage clan, then? I’ve heard about your clan’s abilities. It’s amazing.”

“Y-yes,” Sachiko nodded, “We can give to and take chakra from others at will.”

“Ohh! That’s so cool, ya know!” Naruto exclaimed, eyes sparkling as he looked at Sachiko. “But if she can transfer chakra, then why not transfer chakra to me instead of Captain Yamato?”

Kakashi let out a sigh. “Well, another point of the training is for you to also learn how not to always rely on the Nine-Tailed Beast’s chakra, _ya know_.”

“Oh, right haha.”

“Well,” Kakashi placed his hands inside his pockets, “if there are no more questions, let’s start with your training.”

\-------

Two days had passed, and the training continued. Sachiko kept on assisting them, transferring chakra to Yamato before he was drained of it. Naruto’s training was indeed very intensive. In a short period of time, he was expected to master and improve his current wind-style technique. Because of this, it wasn’t unusual that he would sometimes accidentally slip into the Tailed Beast Cloak mode. It was the first time that she had witnessed it, and it amazed and terrified her at the same time. She marvelled at how very powerful and overpowering the Nine-Tailed Beast’s chakra was, and worried about how much it almost consumed all of Naruto’s own consciousness. But Yamato was very good at keeping Naruto from losing himself to the evil chakra, and with her chakra, Sachiko made sure that he didn’t falter in his task.

In a matter of days, she had grown quite at ease with the group. Naruto wasn’t very hard to get along with -- he had always been a warm and cheerful presence, always welcoming to anyone even if he had only known them for a day. He had grown into a fine young man, Sachiko figured, but there were still a few traits that he had not grown out of. He was still oblivious and annoyingly loud for the most part, often dropping comments that he had not thoroughly thought of which earned him a few loud sighs from his superiors and not-so-obvious-slaps-in-the-back from her. In contrast to his loud personality, his superior, Yamato, was reserved and more professional. He was very polite and serious with his tasks, and she liked his good-natured demeanor. She found it funny and pitiful at the same time when Kakashi would take advantage of his junior’s kindness, and wondered if Yamato secretly resented Kakashi for it. Although, as she watched on, it seemed to her that the younger man’s respect and admiration for his superior was greater than any resentment he might harbor against him. Yamato seemed like a good man, after all.

And then, there was Kakashi. He had always been an enigma to her ever since their first encounter years ago. Up-close and in person, it still seemed to be the case, though. It wasn’t like Kakashi was hard to get along with; in fact, it was quite the opposite. He was very kind and polite to her, always asking her if she was alright or if there was anything else she needed. Given that they only knew each other for a few days, it was understandable that there would still be an air of awkwardness and a distance between the two of them. He might even feel indebted to her, she mused, which she thought was ridiculous and unnecessary. But compared to Naruto and Yamato, Kakashi… to her… was a bit difficult to read. It felt like there was an invisible wall built around the man, an impenetrable fort keeping others from getting too close. He had an air of aloofness about him, keeping everyone at arm’s length. And even though there were times when he did reach out and get himself involved, it was only a small part of himself that did and for such a short while. She knew that she shouldn’t meddle, and that she should let him be. Maybe the man was just naturally private. And as much as she hated to admit it, it was becoming very much frustrating to her, and so she decided to get to know him herself. She couldn’t help it; she felt more and more drawn towards him.

During training, she approached Kakashi who was lying down on a bench that Yamato had made for him. Both his head and legs were propped on the arm rest on each end, and he was reading a book which he held over his face. Her nose wrinkled and her cheeks turned a shade of pink upon seeing the book. The first time she saw him pull out the book, it somehow stunned her that he reads it so casually in public. She didn’t expect him to be the type of man to be into that kind of literature. She had always felt disdain towards it, even though it was written by a man his uncle respected. Sometimes, she wondered how a person like Jiraiya and his uncle -- a very conservative man -- ever got along well. As Sachiko came near Kakashi, Kakashi brought down his book and looked at her.

“Hey,” she said to him, stopping at his feet.

“Hmm? Yo,” Kakashi greeted back. “Is there something wrong?”

Sachiko shook her head, leaning against the side of the bench, “None. Just waiting for Yamato’s cue.” Kakashi shifted his body, sitting straight on the bench. He scooted over to his left, freeing up the space on the other side. “Well, why don’t you sit down here while you wait?”

Sachiko stared for a while at the empty space before she obliged and carefully sat down next to him. The physical space between them was once again small, and she could feel her heart starting to pound again. Her eyes trailed on the grass and focused on a single flower before her, mentally counting the petals she could see to stay calm.

There was that awkward silence again for a while.

“So…” Kakashi cleared his throat. “About your ability… I heard it’s passed down to only one user per generation?”

Sachiko nodded, still focused on the grass before her. “Yep, only one. Before me, it’s my uncle. And for my generation, it’s just… me.” She turned to him to give a quick faint smile before staring at the grass again.

“How does it work? I’m genuinely curious,” Kakashi asked, his full attention on her.

“Well... nobody really knows exactly how, it’s all very complicated. For example, my grandmother. She was the chosen user in her generation, and she had my uncle and my mother. But between the two of them, it was my uncle who got the abilities. But since he doesn’t have any children of his own, the abilities somehow got passed down to me. If he had children before my mother did, I don’t know also if any of his children would have gotten the ability instead of me. But it’s been said that the chances are higher for female users to pass on the ability to their offspring.”

“Ahh, I see… well it must be hard on the only users,” Kakashi mused. This time, Sachiko turned to fully look at him, “Hmm? What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Kakashi smiled at her, his hand awkwardly placed at the back of his head, “I can’t imagine the burden you must feel for being the only user in your generation.”

Sachiko blinked at him and let out a light laugh. “Ahhh well, it can’t be helped. I mean, it’s not like you get to choose. It just happened I was chosen to have it, that’s all.” She shrugged, and turned to look at the grass again. “There’s a certain pressure on the lone user to hone and impart their talents to the next generation’s user. I’m just lucky my uncle’s there to guide and help me.”

“Well, it seems you certainly are lucky,” Kakashi agreed, smiling through his visible eye. “I’ve heard nothing but good things about your uncle.”

“Yeah, he’s a good man. He helped me a lot and patiently saw through my training especially during those times I did see the ability a burden,” she laughed. Her expression suddenly turned a bit pensive as she looked beyond her, her voice turning softer and this time, it seemed as if she was talking to herself. “I did see it that way before, but my view changed, thanks to a certain person.”

Kakashi watched her at the corner of his eye. Before he could say anything, a voice suddenly called out from the edge of the clearing. “Oi! Kakashi!”

They both turned to look at the direction of the voice, and saw two male ninjas emerging from the trees. One of them was wearing a jonin gear and a reverse bandanna on his head, while the other was wearing a rather unflattering green bodysuit. The newcomers approached them, and the ninja in the green bodysuit literally pounced right in front of Kakashi.

“Kakashi! Clear your schedule for tonight and join us as we celebrate our springtime of youth!” He flashed him a smile and held out a thumb’s up sign. Kakashi stared at him with a bored expression on his face.

“Haha!” The other jonin laughed, “It’s my birthday. I’m having a drinking party tonight. You should come, Kakashi.” His eyes flickered from Kakashi to Sachiko, his gaze turning sly, “You can also bring that cute girl with you.” He winked at her, and Sachiko’s cheeks turned a shade of pink.

Kakashi sighed and let out an awkward laugh, his hand once more finding a spot at the back of his head. “This is Sachiko-san. She’s currently assisting us with Naruto’s training. Sachiko-san, this is Gai and Genma.”

“You mean ‘Konoha’s Sublime Green Beast of Prey’! Kakashi’s only worthy eternal rival!” Gai exclaimed, flashing another smile but this time at her. He turned to Kakashi, “So, my eternal rival. You’re going later, right??”

Kakashi exhaled, “Negative. I still have to train Naruto tonight.”

Gai let out a gasp, his face aghast. “You have to come!! I’m challenging you to a drink-off!”

“Come on, Kakashi,” Genma added, nibbling a senbon. “It’s gonna be fun.”

Sachiko watched as the two continued to persuade Kakashi, with Gai being particularly persistent about it. Sensing that the two most likely would not stop, she saw Kakashi let out an exasperated sigh and finally relented.

“YEEEEES!” Gai threw a fist in the air, wiggling his behind. “The drink-off challenge is finally ON! I’ll beat you this time, Kakashi -- for sure!!”

Sighing again, Kakashi called Yamato and Naruto, and the two approached the group. “We’re taking a break from training tonight,” Kakashi told them. “Naruto, go home and take a rest. We’ll resume again in the morning.”

“Huh?” Naruto muttered. “Why? I nearly got it. Why can’t we train tonight?”

“Because,” Genma crooned, grinning, “Kakashi-sensei is going to party tonight.” He turned to Yamato, “Hey, come to my party tonight too, umm… Yamato, is it?”

“W-what? But umm…” Yamato stammered, then turned to Kakashi. “What about Naruto’s training? Are you sure this is the right time for this, senpai?”

Kakashi sighed as if in defeat, looking particularly at Gai. “Well, it doesn’t look like these two will stop, anyway.”

“Great!” Genma uttered. He waved at them as he turned around, with Gai on his heels. “I’ll see you all there. Don’t be late!”

\-------

Night came, and Sachiko stood outside the village bar, feeling unsure of the night’s event. She didn’t know anyone apart from Kakashi, and wasn’t exactly comfortable with drinking with people she wasn’t familiar with. She felt a wave of relief when she saw Yamato walking towards the bar. It seemed that he too looked a bit apprehensive himself.

“Oh, hey.” Sachiko waved at him. “I didn’t expect you’d come.”

“Ahh,” Yamato uttered, scratching the side of his face with his finger. “Well, I, uhh, figured it wouldn’t hurt to come.”

Sachiko let out a sigh of relief. “Well, I’m actually glad you decided to. I was worried I wouldn’t know anyone here. Shall we, then?” and they both entered the bar. At the other end of the room, they saw a mildly intoxicated Genma waving at them and gesturing to them to sit at the table he had reserved for the party. As they approached the table, Sachiko noticed that most of the invited guests were all jonins, some of which she had seen before. Her eyes scanned the table, and she saw a sober Kakashi sitting with an energetic Gai, both of whom seemed to be immersed in some sort of competition. Among those sitting at the table, she recognized a jonin named Anko whom she had been on a mission with just recently. Anko’s eyes perked up when she saw Sachiko and gestured to the both of them to sit beside her.

Some time after they had sat down, Genma had managed to consume a few more cups of sake. He started picking on his guests, teasing each one of them into revealing a bit of their personal lives, and currently he was badgering a certain bearded shinobi and a red-eyed kunoichi about their current lovelives.

“Soooo, Asuma,” Genma grinned at the bearded man and the woman sitting next to him, “what is it with you and Kurenai?” The bearded man named Asuma nearly spitted out his drink while the woman named Kurenai blushed. Genma looked at them innocently, waiting for their answer.

“Cut it out, Genma. You’re such an asshole,” Anko quipped, although her expression looked as though she was interested to know the answer herself.

“What? I’m just asking. I’m just _curious_.” He let the last word roll off his tongue with a sly tone coating it. “I don’t know, but the other day, I saw a couple holding hands around town and they looked just like you two.” This time, the sake Asuma was drinking spilled from his mouth.

“Genma, leave the two lovebirds alone,” Kakashi remarked, his tone seemed to be ironically uninterested. The skin visible above his mask showed a hint of pink.

“Oh?” Genma turned to look at his new target of ridicule. “And what about you, Hatake? Any plans on settling down soon?”

“You’re one to talk,” Kakashi stared at him without the least bit affected.

“Excuse me, but unlike you, I actually go out and date.” His eyes left Kakashi and rested on Sachiko. Sachiko slightly flinched as she noticed a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“So… Sachiko, right?” He dropped his head on his hand and flashed her a flirtatious smile, “Are you currently seeing anyone?” He winked.

Kakashi sighed, “Genma, spare the poor girl.”

Genma blinked, feigning innocence. “What? I’m just _asking_. Unless you’re into her... well, I don’t mind a little competition.”

Sachiko was flustered. She felt her cheeks heat up, and she was sure it wasn’t just because of the alcohol. Before she could utter a word in her defense, Anko suddenly chimed in. “What? But isn’t Sachiko already dating someone?”

This time, it was Sachiko who nearly spilled her drink. She turned to look at Anko questioningly. Anko stared at her flatly, “I mean, aren’t you and Iruka a thing?” 

Sachiko sighed. What was it with people always assuming Iruka was her boyfriend?

“Oh, no no no,” Sachiko shook her head. “It’s nothing like that. Iruka is my godbrother, and I’ve always seen him that way.”

Anko shrugged before sipping her drink, “Well, it’s not like you’re related by blood anyway.”

The evening went on, and after a few more drinks, almost everyone in the table was drunk. Arms around each other’s shoulders, Genma and Asuma were singing a popular ballad as a red-faced Yamato swung to the rhythm, with an equally intoxicated Anko giving them a beat as she tapped the table continuously. In one corner, Kakashi and Gai managed to finish their drink-off challenge, and Gai slammed his cup on the table as he joyously proclaimed himself the winner. Sachiko watched as Kakashi stood up and excused himself from the table, sauntering towards the exit of the bar. After a while when she made sure nobody noticed, she slipped away from the table and headed outside.

As soon as she got out of the bar, she saw Kakashi sitting on the floor, his back against the wall. “There you are,” she remarked and took a seat beside him on the floor. The cool, evening breeze brushed against her face, refreshing her brain as it lessened slightly the effects of the alcohol. From the corner of her eye, she watched as the wind slightly ruffled Kakashi’s hair, emitting a soft glow under the moonlight.

Kakashi didn’t move from his place, nor did it seem that he had heard her talk. His gaze was on the other side across the bar, his expression unreadable. He bent his head and gazed at the floor, and for a few minutes, spoke, “All my friends are dead.”

Sachiko turned to him with a confused look. “Hmm? W-what are you talking about?”

Kakashi continued to stare at the ground beneath him, and he seemed to have not heard her. “All my friends are dead,” he repeated his words.

Sachiko continued to look at him. She sighed, figuring it must have been the alcohol talking. She gave him a weak smile as she said in a softer tone, “No, Kakashi. They’re not dead. If they are, they wouldn’t be drinking here with you.”

Kakashi scoffed uncharacteristically, shaking his head. He rambled on, ignoring her words. “A son of a disgraced ninja who can’t even protect his friends nor keep a promise to a dead friend. Hell, I can’t even keep my student from leaving the village and joining an S-rank criminal.” He muttered the next words, his voice barely audible. “What does that make me then?”

Sachiko continued to watch him, her expression turning from confusion to worry. What was he talking about? Suddenly, all of the previous defenses he had on him were stripped off -- the invisible wall around him no longer there. Sachiko had never seen him this vulnerable, and the air around them seemed to get thicker as she felt the weight of his loneliness crushing down on him.

“I’m worse than scum,” he whispered to the ground. His head bent lower as his shoulders dropped, and the strange loneliness that Sachiko felt around him now was reminiscent of the weight she felt when she had first encountered him years ago under the bridge. The weight of the emotion was too much. She felt herself drowning under it along with him, and she reached out her hand to him in hopes of bringing some sense into him. 

As she was about to touch his shoulder, he immediately grabbed her wrist. She flinched slightly at the harsh contact, and her eyes met his intense gaze. They stared at each other for a while, and Sachiko was beginning to feel uncomfortable. She felt his hand slowly loosening his grip, and to her horror, saw Kakashi’s face leaning closer to hers.

Her heart started to beat furiously. She wasn’t ready for this. She knew the right action would be to push him away and leave, but her body remained rigid. His face was getting closer, his breath fanning her face, and as his body was about to collide with hers… suddenly, his weight shifted and his head came crashing onto her shoulder.

“Ugh!” Sachiko found her arms pressed against Kakashi’s chest as she struggled to push the weight off her. _Did he just pass out?_ And as if the gods weren’t done playing with her, Gai suddenly came out of the bar as soon as Kakashi’s body crashed into hers.

“Kakashi?!” Gai let out a loud gasp, his horrified eyes fixed on the two of them. “Of all people! I didn’t expect you would do that to a woman!!”

“W-what?? N-no!” Sachiko stammered, still struggling to keep Kakashi from completely toppling over her. “I think Kakashi-san passed out drunk! Umm, a little help here, please??”

Gai blinked at her a few times, his brain processing her words slowly. As he came to his senses, he immediately rushed to Sachiko and helped place an unconscious Kakashi on the ground.

  
  



	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sachiko learns from Gai Kakashi's tragic past. Days pass by, and as she continues to assist in Naruto's training, she becomes more and more involved in the Copy Ninja's private life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally a Sims story I posted on my Tumblr account, meaning the text is originally accompanied by images shot using The Sims 4. If you'd like to view the images along with the text, please go to the link below. Thank you and hope you guys will like this story!
> 
> Warnings: mentions of death, suicide, depression and alcohol intoxication (very sad chapter, okay?)

[CHAPTER 5 STORY COMPANION/IMAGES](https://between-me-and-you-fic.tumblr.com/post/640551527534264320/part-2-chapter-5-warnings-mentions-of-death)

Gai took hold of Kakashi’s shoulders and pulled him away from Sachiko, placing his body carefully on the ground.

“Just how much alcohol did you guys consume?” Sachiko asked as she hovered over Kakashi.

“Uhh,” Gai mused, counting with his fingers. “About a few rounds, cups… bottles? I can’t really remember.” Suddenly he laughed loudly and scratched his head. “Well, Kakashi’s not really much one to hold his liquor, ha ha...”

Sachiko sighed. “Seriously, you shouldn’t push yourselves past yours limits.”

She placed her hands on his shoulders and back, carefully turning Kakashi on his side. She checked his breathing and was relieved to find it normal. After finding his temperature and skin normal as well, she shook his body slightly and pinched his skin as she called his name. After a while, Kakashi was roused, only to mutter a few incoherent words and went back to sleep again.

“Thankfully, he responded.” She sighed again, “It seems he’s only sleeping. We should take him back to his home. I, uhh…” She turned to Gai. “Where does he live…?”

“Just a few blocks away from the bar!”

“Right. Umm, are you sober enough to help me carry him there…?”

Gai nodded, “You can count on me!” He went to Kakashi’s left side and took his arm as Sachiko took the other side. The weight of Kakashi’s body fell on Sachiko’s side as she slung his arm around her neck. The heat of his body sent tingles down her spine, and it took her a lot of willpower to remain focused on the task at hand.

It was a quiet walk to Kakashi’s apartment. It was already late in the evening, and most of the shops lined on each side of the street were already closed. Lights from houses were already turned off as the villagers had already retired for the night. As they quietly carried Kakashi, Sachiko’s mind drifted back to the words that fell from Kakashi’s lips a while ago.

_ A son of a disgraced ninja who can’t even protect his friends nor keep a promise to a dead friend. Hell, I can’t even keep my student from leaving the village and joining an S-rank criminal. What does that make me then? _

Her brows furrowed, pondering heavily on his words. She was too deep in thought that she had not realized she let out a loud sigh. 

“Hmm?” Gai muttered, “What’s the matter?”

Sachiko held her tongue for a while, not sure whether she should tell Gai what she had heard. But the words kept on nagging her. It seemed like Gai was a close friend of Kakashi, which meant a person she could trust. And so, she figured maybe it wouldn’t hurt to tell him.

“Gai-san?” She stalled, carefully choosing her words. “A while ago, Kakashi-san said some things…”

Gai turned and leaned his head to the side to look at Sachiko past Kakashi’s bent head.

“Well…” Sachiko continued, “He mentioned something about his father and of his friends being dead…”

There was silence for a while, and Sachiko heard Gai let out a deep sigh. “Right, my eternal rival sometimes tends to ramble on when he’s drunk.” There was a hint of sorrow in his tone.

“Gai-san?” She paused for a while. “What… what did he mean?”

Gai remained silent again. He let out another deep sigh, and they both continued to walk in the dimly-lit street. The usually jovial man’s current demeanor was a stark contrast to what she had witnessed a while ago, and she wondered just how dark the Copy Ninja’s past was.

“You see,” Gai spoke, his tone grave. “Kakashi’s past wasn’t exactly ideal.”

The evening breeze blew as they trudged on, carrying a limp Kakashi between them. Sachiko waited, and Gai continued to speak, his gaze on the road before them. “I know it’s not my place to tell you about his past. But since you are currently working with him, I think you should know. So you can understand why Kakashi sometimes acts like that.”

_ Why he sometimes act all aloof? _

Sachiko nodded, her eyes briefly on Gai’s as if to tell him that she was listening. Gai waited for a while and looked at Kakashi to see if he was still asleep. He poked the unconscious man in the ribs repeatedly. Kakashi didn’t rouse.

“I think you already know who his father was,” Gai said, glancing sideways at her. “And what happened to him?”

“Oh, no actually. I don’t…” Sachiko’s voice trailed off. 

“Well, that’s understandable.” Gai smiled weakly at her. “It was a tragic situation, and nobody really wanted to talk about it.”

“You see, Sachiko-san,” Gai continued, his tone becoming more melancholic. “His father and his team were sent on a mission important to the village. When his teammates' lives were in danger, he chose to abandon the mission to save them. The impact of the mission’s failure caused great losses to the Land of Fire, and because of this, the whole village vilified him… even his teammates that he had saved.”

“His father didn’t take it well. He fell into a deep depression, and it caused his abilities to suffer as a result. Once feared as the Great White Fang of Konoha, he was reduced to a merely helpless, ostracized man. His depression consumed him, and eventually… he took his own life.” Gai exhaled deeply, and the next words that came out of his mouth broke Sachiko’s heart. “Kakashi was only seven years old when his father died. He was the one who saw and reported the body.”

She closed her eyes for a while, feeling terribly sorry for Kakashi. She didn’t expect how tragic his childhood was. Her eyes glanced sideways at Kakashi, head dropped and oblivious to the re-telling of his sorrow currently taking place.

“It affected Kakashi greatly,” Gai continued. “After the incident, he became cold and rigid, always following the rules to the dot. I guess he didn’t want to be like his father who abandoned the rules in favor of his teammates’ safety, and so he lived that way for most of his childhood years. He didn’t have any family left; he had lived alone ever since.”

“But his sufferings didn’t end there. One of his teammates -- an old classmate -- died in their mission during the Third Great Ninja War. That teammate was an Uchiha, and he gave his Sharingan eye to Kakashi. His death greatly affected Kakashi, and once again, changed the way he viewed things. He became less cold and more appreciative of his comrades. I know I shouldn’t put it this way, but in a way, Obito’s death somehow changed Kakashi for the better.”

A ghost of a smile appeared on Gai’s lips, but his tone turned darker as he recalled the next events. “One would think that would be enough tragedy for a young boy to go through. But sadly, that wasn’t the end of it. My eternal rival’s life took a worse turn when his other teammate, Rin, died during a mission they were both in…” Gai’s voice trailed off, and he took another deep breath. “He felt guilty and took all of the blame on himself. It affected him so much that he grew colder and distant than before. Seeing him in some of the missions we went on together, it seemed like he was always in a hurry to die…”

A sudden gust of cold wind blew as Sachiko carefully took in his words. She didn’t expect to hear what she just did. For the past few years, she had always wondered the cause behind Kakashi’s loneliness. And now that she knew, a part of her wished she hadn’t. She closed her eyes briefly, feeling something heavy inside her chest. Pity and sorrow took over her heart.

“You’ll have to excuse my eternal rival for his non-youthful ways,” Gai smiled at her, this time his tone less grave. “I know he sometimes acts indifferent, like he doesn’t care. But believe me when I say that deep down, he does. It could be because he went through so much that he acts that way to protect himself. Kakashi is a good man; he may sometimes appear to not care about others around him, but he values his comrades’ lives and well-being so much, even to the point of putting their welfare above his own. He just has this habit of withdrawing into himself; he has never been the type to burden others with his own problems.” 

He flashed her a grin and gave her a wink.”The trick to befriending my eternal rival is to never stop reaching out to him. Be patient! It took awhile for his friends -- myself and some of our classmates -- to pull him out of his depression. But I, his eternal rival -- the Beautiful, Youthful Green Beast of Konoha -- never gives up in doing so!”

Finally, they reached Kakashi’s apartment building and took him inside. Carrying him while going up the stairs was a bit difficult, and Sachiko couldn’t be more thankful for Gai’s strength and assistance. They finally reached his floor and carried him towards the room.

Gai took the keys from Kakashi’s vest pocket and opened the door. They entered the room and carefully placed him on his bed. Sachiko’s eyes wandered, taking note of the interior of the room. It was neat and simple, having only the bare essentials needed by a man to be able to live comfortably.

She went to the kitchen and took out a pitcher of water and an empty glass, placing them on his bedside table. Her eyes rested on Kakashi’s face, watching him sleep peacefully. His chest rose and fell, his breathing steady and slow. He looked like a child, blissful and unaware of the troubles of the world. For a moment, he didn’t seem like someone who had gone through so much and endured terrible pain. She felt another tug in her heart again and almost reached out to brush his hair away from his face.

Gai and Sachiko walked towards the front door, and Gai offered to walk her home. “It’s already late at night! I should walk you home.”

“But what about Kakashi-san? I think you should stay and watch over him.”

“Fear not!” Gai exclaimed, giving her again one of his flashy grins. “After I’ve walked you to your house, I’ll come back and stay with him. It’s only right that I make sure the fair maiden gets home safely!”

“Oh, uhh, right. Thank you, ” she just managed to say, smiling at him. She didn’t know how to tell him that she’d be perfectly all right on her own, but she did appreciate his kindness nonetheless.

They left the building, walking towards the direction of Sachiko’s house. Gai amused her with stories of his challenges with Kakashi, from the very first challenge they had during their youth. As Gai recalled a particular story involving a race, Sachiko’s mind wandered back to what Gai had told her a while ago. She felt truly sorry for Kakashi; she couldn’t imagine the pain he must be going through. All those years of loneliness, regret and guilt. He had lived almost his whole life alone... blaming himself, never really having moved on. And yet, she also couldn’t help but admire him for his fortitude. It requires a lot of strength and patience to trudge on after everything that has happened.

Her thoughts then wandered back to Kakashi’s words to her outside the bar a while ago. The unfortunate events that had transpired in his life was never his choice. And no matter how Kakashi thought it was his fault, she truly believed he was not to blame for his life turning out the way it did. His words echoed in her mind, and she could still recall the bitter tone in his voice.

_ “I’m worse than scum.” _

Sachiko held her head up high, looking at the road before her.  _ No, Kakashi _ , she thought with a convinced look on her face.  _ You’re not. _

\-------

“You’re late, ya know!”

Getting up early the next morning was a bit of work for Sachiko. The effects of the alcohol, the events that had happened the night before, and the training she had assisted in during the past few days made her body realize how much rest it had actually craved for. As soon as she entered her bedroom last night, she immediately fell on her bed and dozed away. When she woke up the next morning, she realized she had accidentally slept in and hurriedly jumped out of bed to prepare for training that day.

She had thought of hundreds of apologies to say as she made her way to the forest that morning, when she found out that apparently Kakashi and Yamato weren’t able to come in earlier either. She sighed in relief when she saw that both of them had not arrived yet, but also in weariness at having to deal with an impatient Naruto. They both finally arrived, with Yamato coming in first and with Kakashi at a much, much,  _ much _ later time.

“Where have you been??” Naruto pointed accusingly at Kakashi.

Kakashi looked terrible. Both of the two jonins did. Deep circles were visible under their eyes, both looking ashen and exhausted.

“I, umm… was lost in -.”

“No, don’t give me that alibi!! I’m not buying it!” Naruto huffed, crossing his arms on his chest.

Yamato’s brows furrowed as he massaged his temple. “Sorry, I woke up with a huge headache.”

Naruto continued to sulk, arms still crossed as he looked away angrily. “You said to meet here early in the morning! I woke up really early today, ya know!!”

“Ugh.” Yamato now brought two hands on each side of his head, massaging them slowly. “Remind me again never to drink so much on a weeknight.”

“Tell me about it,” Kakashi sighed audibly, dropping to the ground. 

“Say, senpai. Where did you go last night? I don’t remember seeing you around when I left.”

Sachiko grew stiff, waiting for Kakashi’s response. Kakashi looked up, bringing a finger to his chin. “Hmmmm… I don’t really remember. I remember going out of the bar to get some air, and the next thing I knew I was already on my bed.”

“Come to think of it…” Yamato mused, turning to Sachiko. “I didn’t see you at the table last night either.”

“Oh! Umm,” Sachiko raised her hands, her face turning red. “I was actually very tipsy already that I decided to leave early, hahaha… ha ha…” She turned away from them and pretended to fix her skirt, desperately hoping Kakashi wouldn’t remember anything that had happened last night, and that Yamato wouldn’t question her further.

Naruto squinted his eyes, letting out another irritated sigh. “I’m tired of waiting the whole morning! Let’s get on with the training already, ya know!”

\-------

In the next days that followed, a Hidden Leaf shinobi interrupted their training, bringing them terrible news. They had learned that Asuma Sarutobi was killed in battle by the Akatsuki, much to the sorrow of his friends. The training that day was cut short as a funeral was immediately held for the fallen shinobi. 

From where she stood, Sachiko saw Kurenai emerge among the sea of mourners, walking towards the grave as she gripped the flowers in her hands. She felt truly sorry for her loss. Another friend, another lover, another family member was once again lost. It was the inevitable truth of their cursed profession.

The weight of the sorrow that hung in the air in the cemetery was too much for Sachiko to handle. Immediately after the funeral, she escaped towards her favorite destination past the training grounds. It had been a long while since she had visited it. She only wanted nothing at that moment but to lay down by the river and unload all of the heavy emotions she had taken in that day. As she approached her usual spot, her sensor suddenly spiked up as she sensed a very familiar presence hanging around the area.

She entered the clearing and stopped in her tracks as she saw a familiar figure of a man lounging lazily on the grass, a book open in one hand.

“Hmm? Oh, yo.” Kakashi looked up from his book, greeting her as he casually waved.

“W-what are you doing here?” She asked, surprised to see him there.

“Hmm?” He hummed again. “Well, it’s a nice place to read.” He smiled at her, briefly lifting his book.

Sachiko walked over to where he was and took a seat beside him on the grass. “It is. It’s such a peaceful place. I usually go here to unwind when things get overwhelming. It’s just that I normally frequent this place before so I was just surprised to find you here.”

Kakashi hummed again, and he went back to reading his book. Silence fell between them, and the only audible sound was the rustling of the leaves on the trees as the wind blew.

Sachiko turned her head slightly towards Kakashi. “I’m sorry for your loss,” she said softly, breaking the silence. Kakashi looked up from his book and looked at her confusedly.

“I mean, about Asuma,” she added. “Wasn’t he your friend?”

“Ahhh.” Kakashi looked down, bringing down the book to his lap. “Yes, what happened was unfortunate. I also feel really bad for the family he has left behind.”

“I know,” Sachiko whispered, looking down. “I can’t help but feel sorry for Kurenai-san also.”

“Hmm.”

Sachiko paused for a while, and then looked at Kakashi from the corner of her eye. “But… how are you?”

Kakashi stared at her again, looking confused. Sachiko quickly broke eye contact and stared at the ground. “I know how it feels to lose people you love. I mean, it must be hard for you, too…”

“Ahhh.” Silence fell once more, and he let out a shallow sigh. “In the shinobi world, it's inevitable to lose family and friends. It's something we can't control… but you shouldn't worry yourself about me, Sachiko-san. I'm fine. I appreciate your concern. Thank you.” He smiled at her through his visible eye, as if to assure her that everything was alright. But Sachiko knew otherwise. Once again, she felt the weight of loneliness and sorrow hanging around him. Before she knew it, she blurted out, “You say one thing, but mean the other.”

Kakashi’s closed eye shot open and he gaped at her, looking slightly alarmed. Sachiko finally realized her mistake and felt embarrassed, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry!” she quickly apologized. “I’m saying weird things. I didn’t mean it. I-I should go.” She got up quickly but then a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from leaving. Sachiko looked down on Kakashi’s hand, gripping her wrist. Once more the warmth of his skin against hers sent tingles down her spine, and she fought hard against the blush now slowly creeping in her cheeks.

“No, it’s okay! Please stay.” He gave her again that one-eyed smile of his. “I was just surprised by what you said. What do you mean?”

Sachiko paused for a while and went back to sitting on the grass beside him. Kakashi released his hold on her wrist, and she turned her head away, avoiding his gaze.

“Well, I… I have this thing where I can sense strong emotion in people. It’s been that way ever since I was little. And well… I could sense that what you are feeling right now… is very different from what you have told me a while ago…”

She continued to stare away from him, when all of a sudden, she heard Kakashi laughing beside her. She snapped her head back and looked at him. He smiled at her sheepishly, his hand placed at the back of his neck. She noticed it was a habit. “Well, you really got me there. I'm impressed, Sachiko-san. I guess I can't keep anything from you then."

“I’m sorry,” Sachiko squeaked. “Did I freak you out?”

Kakashi shook his head, bringing his hands up. “No, not really. Actually, I find it fascinating. I've learned something new about you again, Sachiko-san.” He gave her again his signature closed-eye smile, and Sachiko blushed. “But that must be hard for you, sometimes. I can't imagine the burden you carry for feeling all these emotions, on top of the chakra you sense everyday.”

“Well... sometimes. It can be overwhelming, but I've learned how to shut off both at will. And it’s only the strong ones that I usually feel.”

Kakashi chuckled again, but this time there was a hint of darkness in his tone. “So I guess I was feeling too sad, then?”

Sachiko smiled at him sheepishly, shaking her head slightly. “Well, I guess. But I don’t blame you. He was your friend, after all.” She looked away from him and turned her eyes towards the river. “And I believe you shouldn’t blame yourself for it. It’s not your fault.” 

Her gaze suddenly turned wistful, and she softly added, “None that has happened in your life ever was. I don’t think you’re worse than scum.”

A heavy, awkward silence settled over them and Sachiko quickly realized again her mistake. The damage was already done. She quickly turned to Kakashi and saw him gaping at her, an expression of alarm on his visible eye.  _ Oh shit. _

Sachiko’s face mirrored his and she bent her head down, apologizing profusely. “Ahh, I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to pry… It’s just that back at the bar, at Genma’s birthday p-party… I-I…”

He continued to stare at her with wide eyes. Suddenly, the realization hit him, and it seemed he had already recalled the events of that night. 

“Oh my god…” He looked horrified. “Sachiko-san, did I… did I say something stupid?” He brought a hand to his face. “I must have rambled on again. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

She stared at him as he tried to regain his dignity, her heart moved with compassion for him. Softly, she spoke, hopeful to quell the guilt and tension in him. “N-no, don’t feel sorry. Because I’m not.”

Kakashi looked up and stared at her, completely baffled.

“I mean…” Sachiko cleared her throat. “Even after you told me those… I still don’t think you’re worthless.”

The sun was beginning to set, its rays giving a warm orange tinge to the sky. They continued to stare at each other for a while in silence. Her eyes wandered over his face, trying to see through his unreadable expression. A gentle, early evening breeze blew, caressing their skins and softly ruffling his thick, silver hair. A faint warm feeling slowly crept its way inside her, and Sachiko looked away from him before any of it grew stronger.

She spoke again softly, looking at the grass beneath her. “If… If something is bothering you, you can always tell me. I-I’ll listen.” 

She shuffled her feet, a bit worried about what Kakashi would say. Was she too forward? Did he find her intrusive? She didn’t want to encroach, but there was a strong desire inside her to help him feel better and make his life less miserable, in whatever way she could. She looked at Kakashi from the corner of her eyes and found him smiling softly at her.

“Thank you, Sachiko-san.” His head was tilted to the side, his eye closed in a crescent moon shape. “I don’t think you should worry yourself about me, though. But I appreciate your concern. I really do.”

She smiled back at him tenderly. The air of loneliness hanging around him now had slightly decreased, and she could tell that the gratitude in his voice and in his face was genuine.  
  


She waved her hand casually at him, and she grinned. “No problem. And oh - ‘Sachiko’ is just fine.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsunade had assigned Sachiko to accompany Kakashi in a mission near the Land of Hot Water. Meanwhile, her uncle is not too happy with the arrangement and gives out an order to Sachiko, which she is not too happy to carry out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PART 2 of Between Me and You!
> 
> This was originally a Sims story I posted on my Tumblr account, meaning the text is originally accompanied by images shot using The Sims 4. If you'd like to view the images along with the text, please go to the link below. Thank you and hope you guys will like this story!

[CHAPTER 6 STORY COMPANION/IMAGES](https://between-me-and-you-fic.tumblr.com/post/641223499164286976/part-2-chapter-6-sachiko-dolefully-thought-that)

  
  
Sachiko dolefully thought that her time with Kakashi had come to an end, but apparently, fate had other plans. Even though Naruto’s training had already ended, Tsunade had assigned her to assist Team 7 in various missions. The Fifth Hokage believed that Sachiko’s chakra-giving abilities complemented Kakashi’s low chakra reserves, and so had thrown at the younger woman one mission after another on top of the list of errands and training she had to do. Not that Sachiko actually complained; it meant more chances to get to know the Copy Ninja. The times that they had both worked together had brought them closer, much to her delight. Even though he didn’t talk much and still acted aloof at times, she still enjoyed the conversations they had with each other, however brief they were sometimes. He was still quiet for the most part, but she had managed to get him open up to her about his daily life, however vague or short his responses were. 

She did most of the talking. She would ramble on to him about interesting things that had happened in her daily life -- about silly things, her dreams, hopes and predicaments -- and Kakashi would quietly listen. She found out that he was a good listener, not interrupting her as she talked, and would sometimes give great advice when she asked for them. She liked how honest he was with his thoughts, not beating around the bush, and it didn’t bother her, at all. There were times that his frankness had slightly offended her, but she appreciated it, nonetheless. It mattered more to her what he truly thought, and somehow it helped her decode the mystery surrounding him. Although at times, she wished he was more open with her, that he would share with her more stories about himself, but for now she was content with what they had. For a long time, she had been wondering about him, and being close to him like that… it was more than what she had wished for. 

She continued to be drawn towards him, relaxed by and fascinated with the calmness he exuded amidst the pain he hid inside himself -- an irony she was intrigued with. She could still remember how his words helped her figure herself out, how it inspired her and encouraged her to embrace the life she had been given, making the most out of it. He had helped her give her life and vocation as a ninja a new meaning; through him, she became a new woman. She was indeed grateful to him, and she felt the urge to reach out and help calm the conflict inside him to repay him in any way she could.

She enjoyed his company very much. His calm, cool and rational presence balanced her curious and restless one. He was a comfort to her during the times when she felt overwhelmed by her responsibilities. She worried too much, and he reminded her to take life slowly and lightly. It frustrated her a little to see that he wasn’t the least bothered with some things she thought was of importance, but his amused yet reassuring laugh would remind her that the little things she worried about were just that -- only silly, little things. He was like a gentle, calm breeze… and she appreciated him very much for it. 

Her heart would warm up every time she thought about it. She had never expected to have this kind of friendship with him. It was true that his detachment sometimes frustrated her, but his calmness and rationality gave her a sense of peace and stability within herself. Being with him made her feel happier, and it would sometimes show on her face as thoughts of their shared moments would bring a soft smile to her lips. It did occur to her thoughts about strange feelings lurking in her heart, but she quelled them as instantly as she thought about them. After all, all that she felt for him was just gratitude and compassion,  _ right _ ? 

But her godbrother, Iruka, didn’t think so as he echoed her question when they caught up with each other one afternoon. 

“So, you like him, don’t you?” He teased her, giving her a mischievous look.

“I do  _ not _ .” Sachiko vehemently denied, turning her head away from him. “Well, not in the way that you are thinking.”

Iruka smirked, his smile becoming wider as he peered closer. “It’s written all over your face.”

Sachiko huffed, “It is not. Kakashi is just a friend.”

“Oh, so now you’re on a first name basis with each other?” He bursted out laughing, staring at Sachiko’s flushed face. “You were smiling to yourself. I know that look when you have it, little missy. Are you  _ sure _ you do not like him?”

She mulled over the question for a moment, deeply considering it. She was not so quite sure. And yet, she couldn’t deny how happy he made her feel. She recalled the times when she would catch herself smiling automatically upon seeing him, recalling feelings of warmth rising in her chest, however faint at times. When he would call her to ask for her assistance even in the smallest of favors, she would always be more than happy to help him. Maybe she had been denying it, or maybe she was just afraid to face it, but she was aware of its existence. The possibility that she had already developed feelings of affection for the Copy Ninja slightly bothered her. And yet, it gave her something to look forward to each day, at the same time.

She dismissed the idea in her head and took a sip from her drink. 

Iruka continued when Sachiko didn’t answer him. “So, have you finally found the answers you were looking for?”

Sachiko turned to him, a puzzled look on her face. “Hmm? What are you saying?”

“I meant the issue about Kakashi’s father and your uncle, and why he didn’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh.” Sachiko looked down at her drink. “Not really. I still have no clue why.”

Iruka shrugged his shoulders and stretched his arms. “It’s hard to assume, but based on what you’ve told me about Kakashi-san, it could just be because of what happened to his father.” 

Sachiko turned to him again, giving him a confused look. Iruka shrugged again, “I mean, you know how the older generation’s views can be on tragedies such as that. They see it as something scandalous. And they did view the White Fang’s abandoning the mission as an act of betrayal, that’s why he was also vilified by the village and the whole Land of Fire itself. It was a very important mission both to the village and to the country. Times were a lot different then, the world was a much chaotic place, and so I kind of understand why he would feel angry about it.”

“Still, it had been a very long time,” Sachiko pouted as she brought a hand to her chin. “If that’s truly the case, then I don’t understand why he would still feel that way until now.”

“There are some things that time alone can’t heal, Sachiko. Haven’t I mentioned my parents said they were good friends before? Probably felt more betrayed than anyone else especially since it was done by someone he trusted and was close to. Your uncle is someone who strictly does everything by the book, after all.”

Sachiko thought what Iruka had said about her uncle was true. He had always been strict and righteous, always striving to abide by the law and do what he thought was right. But still, she didn’t take him for someone to hold a grudge on a dead person and for such a long time. So why would he act that way?

“What made you so obsessed with Kakashi-san, anyway?” 

Sachiko nearly choked on her drink. “Wh-what?”

Iruka didn’t look at her, and his pensive eyes were on the drink in his hand. “It’s not like you to get yourself involved with another person’s life, let alone a stranger’s. So, what gives?”

“I… I actually don’t know,” she mumbled, looking down. “I guess it’s because he’s so lonely, and it makes me want to help him.”

“So what if you get too involved with him? Would you be willing to accept him and carry also his burden? It seems to be a pretty heavy baggage that he carries around.”

She shot him a look. “W-what -?”

“I’m just  _ saying _ ,” Iruka continued, looking at her, “don’t get yourself too involved. You’re like a sponge, sometimes. You get too overwhelmed. And I just don’t want to see you getting hurt.”

Sachiko looked at her godbrother. There was genuine concern on his face, and it touched her heart.

She smiled at him reassuringly, giving him a pat on the back. “Don’t worry, big bro. I won’t. And besides, like I’ve told you, I don’t like him that way.”

“Not buying it,” Iruka smirked, and he quickly moved his head just in time to dodge Sachiko’s hand.

\-------

“Lady Tsunade, you asked for me?”

Kakashi walked towards the desk as Tsunade looked up from her paperwork.

“Hatake. I have a mission for you.” She took a folder and gave it to the Copy Ninja. Kakashi took the folder and opened it, scanning the contents.

“There’s a small village near the boundary between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Fire that’s rumored to be controlled by the Akatsuki. There’s an intel that the village is being controlled by the group and steals their earnings to fund the organization. I want you to investigate that.”

“It seems the village has been under their control for quite a while now,” Kakashi remarked as he looked over the documents.

“Yes. I want you to infiltrate the village and secretly gather intel on Akatsuki, as well as on the village. The main plan is to liberate them from the group's control and destabilize the Akatsuki, but this is after you’ve already gathered information. Try to avoid confrontation, if possible. Sachiko Chage will accompany you in this mission. Her sensory skills would be beneficial in tracking enemy chakra. Not to mention, her ability to provide chakra, as well as her medical ninjutsu skills, will come in handy in case a battle breaks out.”

“Yes, Lady Tsunade.” Kakashi nodded. Tsunade continued, “I’ll give you 2 days to prepare. I’ll need you both to report to me the day before the mission.”

When all of the details of the mission have been laid out, she dismissed him. Kakashi thanked her and he left the room. Tsunade stared at the door with a look of amusement on her face, smirking as she recalled a memory from not too long ago. “You can thank me later for this, Sachiko.”

\-------

Sachiko couldn’t believe that Tsunade had actually paired her with Kakashi on a mission,  _ and with just the two of them together.  _

It was the morning of their expected departure from the village, exactly 2 days after Kakashi had just briefed her about the mission. She had already packed the night before, but was preparing a few things she had forgotten. She tossed a pouch of toiletries inside the backpack, sighing deeply. What was her boss thinking? Surely, she wasn’t teasing her? Apparently, Tsunade was also suspecting her of having feelings for Kakashi. She could still recall that embarrassing night at Yakiniku Q when the Fifth Hokage had bullied her staff to go out for a barbeque night.

Already drunk, Tsunade pointed a finger at Sachiko as she threw the younger woman a knowing look.

“Somebody heeere has a crush on Hatake.”

Time stood still for a while. Sachiko froze and the heads of their other companions turned to look at her. Shizune’s eyes widened and Sakura’s jaw dropped.

“Uhh, w-what do you mean, Lady Tsunade? Who d-does?” Sachiko stammered, trying to hide the blush already heating up her cheeks.

Tsunade held her stare and she smirked at the flustered woman. “ _ You _ do! Don’t deny it. I know one when I see one. You’re all over the place every time he’s in the office.”

“I… I don’t know what you are talking about.” She sputtered, hiding her face as she took a sip of her drink.

Shizune, thanks to Tsunade’s bullying into drinking sake, was already a little bit tipsy at that time. She leaned towards the table and peered closer at Sachiko’s face. “But… isn’t he a closet pervert?”

Sachiko nearly choked on her drink. “W-what?”

“Yeah,” Sakura agreed, bringing a finger to her chin. “Kakashi-sensei always carries that dirty book around and reads it in front of people! Apart from that he’s always late, aloof and thinks he’s so cool but really he’s not, at all. I wonder what you see in him, Sachiko-senpai.” She could practically see the teen’s soul judging her for her poor taste in men.

“Well… he might have his own reasons for acting like that,” she smiled sheepishly. If only the young ninja knew what her sensei had gone through!

“And besides,” Sachiko continued, “he’s not all that bad. He’s a great shinobi and he cares very much for his friends and for the village, even though sometimes he may not act like it.” She smiled softly, her stare turning wistful. “He’s got some good traits. He’s a great listener and gives good advice, too. He’s a good man.” And she did mean it; she truly thought that he was.

She heard a loud snort from Tsunade, and she set down her sake cup on the table with a thud. “So,” the Hokage smiled rather mischievously, “you admit that like him, then?”

Her reverie was cut short as she heard a knock on her bedroom door. She turned around and saw her uncle, Izanagi, standing on her doorway. 

“I heard from the Hokage that you’re off on a mission today with Kakashi Hatake.”

Sachiko stopped packing and turned to look at him. “Yes…” she drawled, cautious. “What about it?”

Izanagi eyed her face intently, his expression unreadable. “Don’t let your guard down around him.”

Sachiko stared at her uncle, looking confused. She waited for him to explain when he didn’t move from his place, his arms crossed on his chest. “What do you mean?”

Izanagi’s eyes were fixed on Sachiko’s face as if he was scrutinizing her reaction. He finally spoke, “Hatake has a reputation of being the Friend-Killer. He’ll do everything to accomplish a mission, even if it means abandoning or killing a fellow shinobi if they get in the way.”

Her mouth fell open, and she stared at her uncle incredulously. “I don’t think that’s true, uncle,” she heard herself spat at him. How could her uncle say something like that?

Izanagi didn’t seem to flinch at her reaction. He continued to explain, his eyes still fixed on her. “There are stories from fellow Hidden Leaf ninjas about Kakashi’s past missions, dating back to the time before he was part of the ANBU. In one mission when a teammate was captured, they believed he had purposefully killed her to prevent her from leaking information about the village. He won’t hesitate to kill a comrade if it means completing a mission.” He moved from his place and stopped in front of Sachiko, his expression suddenly grim. “If things turn worse, you are to abandon the mission, flee from him and come back to the village, Sachiko. Do you understand me?”

Sachiko stared at him in disbelief. She couldn’t believe the words that came out from her uncle’s mouth. “And do you expect me to believe in that kind of gossip?” she heard herself say through gritted teeth. 

“It is not gossip, Sachiko,” her uncle assured her, both of his expression and tone calm and serious. “It happened years ago before you were even old enough to comprehend things happening in the shinobi world. And it can happen again.”

“Oh, but now I’m old enough to know that it’s not the case. And if it did happen, I don’t think he’s still the same person you claim that he was, uncle. People change.”

“I’m not here to argue with you whether or not he did,” Izanagi replied, turning his back from her as he walked towards the door. “Just don’t let your guard down.”

“Does this have something to do with his father?”

He stopped automatically, his back still on her. Sachiko glared at her uncle, waiting for his response. He didn’t move from his place, but she could see that she got his attention.

“I know you were friends with him before. Iruka told me. And I know also that something had happened in the past that had caused a rift between the two of you. Whatever it is, I don’t think it’s fair that you are taking it out on his son like this. It wasn’t Kakashi’s fault. To be honest, he is also a victim of his circumstances, and it’s unfair for you to judge him like this.”

He turned around to look at her. His expression was still unreadable, and Sachiko continued, eyes still fixed on her uncle angrily. “Yes, I know what happened to his father and about the mission he abandoned. And I don’t blame the White Fang for what he did either. I think he didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, I think if there are people to blame for how things turned out, it should be the White Fang’s comrades for betraying him and not being grateful for saving their lives so they can live with their families. They’re the ones who are  _ worse _ than scum.”

She picked up her backpack, slinging it over her shoulders. She walked past Izanagi who still didn’t move from his place. As her eyes glanced over her uncle’s face, she swore she saw a hint of affliction in his eyes and it disappeared as quickly as she saw it.

She was already outside of her bedroom, and she turned, slightly facing her uncle who still didn’t move. “And besides, I know about Kakashi’s past. And I can tell you that who he is now is not the kind of man you accuse him of. So clearly, there’s nothing you should worry about.”

She went on her way, leaving her uncle standing inside her room, and almost missed hearing her uncle whisper, “Just, please. Be careful.”

\-------

The morning sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky as Sachiko made her way towards the village gate. She still couldn’t get her uncle’s words out of her mind. It bothered her greatly. She just couldn’t believe that Kakashi would be able to do a horrible thing like that. She could still recall the Copy Ninja’s words to his three students near the memorial stone more than 2 years ago, and it didn’t make sense with the accusations her uncle made about him.

She remembered Gai telling her about the death of Kakashi’s teammates, particularly about the second one. He mentioned it affected Kakashi greatly, and caused him to fall even more into a deep depression that consumed most of his younger years. Could her uncle have referred to the same incident? But surely, he wasn’t the cause of his teammate’s death? Or if it was, surely the intention was not as his uncle had accused him of?

As the village’s gates came into view, Kakashi’s tall, lean figure greeted her eyes. She smirked, laughing softly to herself when she realized that for the first time, he managed to get there before she did. The morning sun casted its rays on Kakashi’s head, and she smiled at how his silver hair always emitted a soft glow under the light. Her eyes fell on his figure which wore civilian clothing, and noted how nicely they hugged his lean frame. He looked nice, she thought. It was the first time she saw him as he was, and not as a soldier used as a tool.

He saw her approaching and he waved at her. Immediately, her lips curled into a wide smile and she felt something warm inside her chest. All her thoughts and doubts about him were instantly quelled as she took in his awkward yet adorable sight. Whatever her uncle had said about him, and if ever it was true, she was certain that the man before her now was very different from the one he might have been known for before.

She stopped in front of him, and she smiled at him teasingly. “Well, this is the first time you arrived earlier than me.”

Kakashi broke into a chuckle, giving her again his signature closed-one-eye smile. “I got up earlier and took a morning walk before going here.” He paused for a while, staring at her outfit. Like him, she was also wearing civilian clothes on top of her ninja gear. They were to go undercover for the mission as civilians, and so they both agreed to wear civilian clothes instead of their uniform to avoid suspicion. Sachiko felt herself blushing as she caught the Copy Ninja staring at her. 

“U-umm, do you think I’m underdressed for travel?” She suddenly felt conscious of herself and she smoothed out her long skirt.

Kakashi quickly averted his gaze, and she could see a hint of pink showing on the skin below his eye. “Ahh, no!” He laughed, touching the back of his neck. “It’s just that it’s the first time I’ve seen you in a dress. You look good in it, Sachiko.”

Sachiko’s eyes widened. She could feel the heat of her blush crawling up to her neck.

“So, umm…” she cleared her throat. “Shall we go, then?” Kakashi agreed, and she swore she could see a hint of amusement in his face.  _ The nerve of the guy _ . She made a mental note to make a witty comeback later, but she felt too happy to even come up with what to say back to him. As they left the village together, she couldn’t help but feel excited at the thought of spending time with him, with only just the two of them, for a few days.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A night during their mission, Sachiko and Kakashi become emotionally intimate with one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh sorry for the late update! Life and work have been really hard and busy lately, and I only found the time to write (and be inspired) just recently. This chapter has been sitting in my files for days to be honest, waiting to be finished and now finally it's done.
> 
> Also, I have a very important announcement at the end of the chapter. I hope you can take the time to read it. Thank you so much and I hope everybody's doing well!!
> 
> \-------------  
> This was originally a Sims story I posted on my Tumblr account, meaning the text is originally accompanied by images shot using The Sims 4. If you'd like to view the images along with the text, please go to the link below. Thank you and hope you guys will like this story!

[ CHAPTER 7 IMAGE COMPANION ](https://between-me-and-you-fic.tumblr.com/post/644362101702492160/part-2-chapter-7-warnings-mentions-of-death-in)

  
  
It was already dusk when they had arrived at their destination. The village in question was very small -- smaller than the Hidden Leaf, in fact, and looked old. Around them, houses in traditional style lined up on each side of the road. The roads were narrow yet paved, although there were others that weren’t. The roofs on some of the houses and establishments were tattered, and some of the signages were already near to falling off. The village did have an old world charm, but it was clear that there was a struggle in maintaining it. There weren’t many people out in the streets, and Sachiko guessed most of the people present were the locals.

“The group’s bleeding this village dry,” she muttered to Kakashi as they walked side by side, taking in their surroundings.

“The income they’re making is quite decent, but not as much as in the main town of the Land of Hot Water,” Kakashi replied. “The location of the village is actually very strategic. They receive quite a number of people traveling from the Land of Fire to the other countries. Since the accommodations here are cheaper, this is a better alternative for people.”

“But it doesn’t seem that what they’re earning is enough to maintain their village,” Sachiko mused as she observed the roofs. “Seems like the Akatsuki is getting the larger cut from them.”

“Seems like it,” Kakashi hummed. They stopped at a small restaurant for dinner and afterwards headed to an inn. When they entered the lobby, they were greeted by a middle-aged woman standing behind the reception desk.

“Good evening, welcome to our inn,” the lady smiled at them. “How may I help you?”

“We’re traveling artists from the Land of Fire,” Sachiko gestured to them both. “We’re looking for a place to stay for a few nights, and we would like to stay here at your inn.”

“Splendid,” the receptionist said, her smile never wavering. “May I offer you our honeymoon room? I am pleased to say it is currently discounted at 30% off.”

“Oh, really well -- h-hey, what?” Sachiko blinked at the woman, not sure if she had heard her correctly. 

The woman blinked back at her, confused. “Forgive me, I boldly assumed that the couple might want to enjoy our current promo.”

“C-couple…?” Sachiko felt her cheeks heat up. “N-no, no… actually we’d like to have two -!”

Suddenly, she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders. “My wife and I will take it,” Kakashi smiled at the innkeeper. Sachiko’s eyes widened and she felt her body stiffen. Did he just call her his  _ wife _ ?

“Perfect,” the woman smiled at them. “If you could please fill up the form in this book.”

Still frozen in place, Sachiko was still trying to comprehend the situation when Kakashi, whose arm was still wrapped around her shoulders, gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Darling,” he said gently, “would you be so kind to write down our names for us?” She thought there was a hint of amusement in his tone.

Sachiko snapped out of her thoughts and took the pen from the table. Staring at the blank form before her, she thought for a while what names she should write for them. Eventually, she settled on a last name and wrote it down.

_ Mizuhara Kakashi, Mizuhara Sachiko. _

She slowly placed the pen back on the table and stared at the words she had just written. Her vision swayed a bit. Seeing them sharing the same surname felt surreal to her.

The receptionist took the keys from a drawer and asked them to follow her. As they walked in the hallway, Sachiko kept on fiddling with her backpack straps and it caught Kakashi’s attention. “Sachiko, are you okay?” he asked her casually. “Mmm-hmm,” she nodded back, not looking at him. Internally, she wanted to hit him in the head. How could she be okay, she thought, when he had called her his wife, and they are to sleep in the same room?

But quickly, she mentally chastised herself. She reminded herself that this was a mission and nothing else; it shouldn’t even bother her. Kakashi probably didn’t think of it anything more when he said that. She figured it best to just play along and continue with the act.

And why should it bother her in the first place? It wasn’t as if she liked him that way. It was true that he always made her feel warm and happy, but surely they were just feelings of gratitude and friendship. She told herself that what she felt for him was the same as what she had felt for Iruka, or for any other male friend that was dear to her.

_ Are you sure you do not like him? _ She heard Iruka’s words echoing in her head.

They stopped in front of a door, and the innkeeper placed the keys in the hole and turned the knob. They entered the room, and as if Sachiko’s current worries weren’t enough, she was horrified to find that the room had only one bed.

“O-only  _ one _ bed?” Sachiko stammered, her eyes quickly darting around the room to see if there was an extra mattress lying around.

“Well, it is a honeymoon suite…” the innkeeper replied, eyeing her dubiously. “Unless you prefer to have separate beds?”

“Oh no, this is fine! We’ll take the room,” Kakashi chuckled, placing both hands on Sachiko’s shoulders. “Please excuse my wife. It’s only been a few days since we were married and she is still not used to sharing a bed together.”

“Ahh! It is fine. I understand,” the lady smiled, and she cast a sympathetic look towards Sachiko. Sachiko’s eyes widened. She had never badly wanted to hit Kakashi in the head that much until now. 

When the innkeeper left the two of them alone in the room, they immediately checked the room for bugs and traps. When they had found that the room was safe, she quickly turned around and looked at Kakashi incredulously. “Really??”

Kakashi blinked at her and he laughed awkwardly. “The discount was too good to pass up,” he explained as he shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “And the story of a traveling artist couple also seems good to adopt. Can make us less suspicious.”

“That wasn’t in the plan,” Sachiko muttered as she placed her bag on the floor. She mumbled to herself in a lower voice, “Does this mean we have to act like one, too?”

“Well... if you want to.” She froze, feeling her cheeks heat up. She spun around and looked at Kakashi incredulously. When he saw her expression, he let out a laugh. “Of course, only for the mission,” he smiled as he held his hands up in front of him, “unless… it bothers you?”

Her eyes widened and she closed them, shaking her head. “N-no, of course not! It’s just for show. All for the mission. No big deal.” When she looked at Kakashi again, she found him staring at her with the ghost of a smirk underneath the mask.

“Good,” he said as he gave her his one-eyed smile. He opened the closet and took out an extra blanket and pillow. Before she could protest, he was already setting down the blanket and pillow on the floor. “You can sleep on the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor tonight.”

\-------

Her eyes raked over her own figure as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She grimaced at herself. She was wearing an old, long-sleeved shirt on top of plain, black leggings. There was nothing special nor alluring about her sleeping attire. If she had known she would be sharing a room with him, she would have brought something  _ nicer _ .

She brought a hand to her forehead and shook her head.  _ Get a grip of yourself, Sachiko _ , she mentally berated herself. This was a mission, she reminded herself, and things were going to be kept professional.  _ Nothing _ was ever going to happen. She was certain that Kakashi didn’t see her in that way, anyway. And why should she even worry about impressing him when she knew she didn’t have feelings for him?

_ Are you sure you do not like him? _

After smoothing her clothes, she grabbed her toiletries kit from the counter and left the bathroom. Kakashi was already settled in his makeshift bed on the floor, reading his book.

“Are you sure you don’t want to switch?” Sachiko asked as she placed her kit back in her bag. “Or maybe we can take turns sleeping on the bed. I’m fine with sleeping on the floor.”

“Nope,” Kakashi replied, not looking up from his book. “You take the bed. I need to be near the door anyway in case something happens.”

“You know, I can sense enemy chakra from afar, so that would give us plenty of time to prepare in case they plan on ambushing us.” She climbed on the bed. “I’m fine with taking turns, really.”

“It’s fine, Sachiko,” Kakashi sighed, closing the book shut and placing it under his pillow. “Get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Sachiko said as she settled underneath the blanket while Kakashi turned off the lights. “Good night,” she murmured and Kakashi hummed in return as he settled in his makeshift bed, his back facing her. 

Silence crept into the room, with only their breaths audible in the dark. Moonlight shone through the window, directly illuminating her body, and its reach hardly covered the makeshift bed on the floor. Her eyes fell on Kakashi’s form, taking in his still body with only the slightest movements caused by his breathing. The faint light that reached his head gave his silvery locks a soft glow, and she smiled at how pretty it looked. 

Absent-mindedly, she moved over to the edge of the bed, slightly narrowing the gap between the two of them. After a while, his breathing had become more relaxed, his body more still. His form looked peaceful, a bit vulnerable even; he had already drifted into a world more tranquil than reality. For a moment, she was tempted to reach for him and stroke his head.

Immediately, she turned to her other side, facing away from him. What was she thinking? She instantly quelled her thoughts as she forced her eyes shut. Strange feelings that she had felt in various instances started to bubble up inside her. She ignored them, but as she did, she heard Iruka’s voice persist in her head once more.

_ Are you sure you do not like him? _

\-------

Her eyes fluttered open as she heard strange sounds cutting through the silence. She kept still, sensing the chakras present in the room. There were only two chakras that she had felt: Kakashi’s and hers. No one else was in the room.

Another distressed, pained whimper was heard. Slowly, she turned to her other side, facing Kakashi who was sleeping on the floor. He was lying face upwards, his body unmoving. A slight movement on the upper body, and another groan escaped his lips.

He was having a nightmare. Sachiko quietly climbed out of the bed and cautiously approached him. She knelt beside his sleeping figure, her body hovering over his. The usual stoic, aloof expression in his face was replaced with fear and agony. 

“Rin…”

Her eyebrows furrowed at the mention of a name she didn’t know, but was sure she had heard somewhere before. Who was Rin? For a second, she felt a familiar, horrible emotion in her heart, but she quickly dispelled it as it had come. Why was she feeling these emotions?

His eyebrows equally furrowed but not because of her. Agony persisted in his expression, and his head slightly tossed as his mouth opened to speak. “I’m sorry… I didn’t want to… please…” His breathing started to become more erratic and shallow; his body tossed even more. Beads of sweat started to form on his forehead, with wisps of silvery hair clinging on his skin. “No… I didn’t mean to…”

Worry suddenly took over her. She reached for his shoulder to wake him up gently so as to not startle him. She was concerned for him; her heart ached at the sight of him. She wanted nothing more but to release him from his temporary misery, for peace to return to his usually undisturbed features. Her hand lightly touched the fabric of his shirt, gently shaking him to bring him back to reality.

Suddenly, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. His grip was powerful and strong, and she had to fight back the cry from the pain. His other arm grabbed her waist, and with full force, she was flipped to land on her back against the cold, hard floor. She found herself underneath him -- her one hand secured by his own, her thighs in between his legs as he kneeled over her, a kunai placed directly near her throat held by the hand which used to secure her waist. Kakashi’s eyes were now wide open, and the red Sharingan swirled as he glowered at her, glowing brightly in the dark.

She swallowed dryly; her heart beating fast. One wrong move and the blade would cut her throat. Her eyes fixed themselves desperately on his own, hoping they would wake him up and make them recognize her sooner. “K-Kakashi…” she murmured softly, as calmly as she could. “It’s me, Sachiko...”

After what seemed like eternity, finally the anger in his glare subsided. Soon it was replaced with recognition, which slowly turned into horror. Kakashi quickly released his grip on her and he fell back, dropping the kunai on the ground.

“Oh gods… I’m so sorry,” he apologized, bringing his hand to his face. Sachiko moved to get up from the floor but then let out a soft cry as she felt a sharp pain on her back. Immediately, Kakashi’s head jerked up, and he quickly rushed to her side.

“Did I hurt you?” He gently helped her sit up, his hand touching her back. She let out another soft cry when his fingers pressed on the sore spot. “Are you alright?” Worry and guilt crossed over his features. 

“I’m fine. Don’t worry; it’s nothing.” She managed to smile at him, hoping it would ease the worry and guilt he was feeling. She decided to heal herself later when Kakashi wasn’t looking. Kakashi continued to stare at her for a while, searching her face for any sign of hurt. After a while he sank to the ground, covering his face and letting out a deep sigh.

It was one of the rare times she had seen him so distressed. He looked resigned and tired, and it was very different from his usual calm and aloof demeanor. The air around them had become a bit heavy, and she could feel a dark, upsetting aura emanating from him.

“Hey,” she whispered to him, her voice laced with concern. She softly dropped a hand on his shoulder, and she smiled reassuringly at him. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” he apologized, rubbing his forehead with his palm. “I didn’t mean to. I was just…”

“I know. You were having a bad dream.”

Kakashi hummed in reply, his hand still covering his eyes. They sat there for a while in silence. Sachiko could still feel his sadness and guilt lingering in the air.

She cast a worried look towards him, regarding him carefully. “...Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, it’s fine.” It was his turn to lie. “It’s just a nightmare. I’m okay.” He looked up at her and gave her one of his closed-eyes smiles.  _ You say one thing, but mean the other _ .

“Sorry for waking you up,” he continued and he made his way back to his makeshift bed on the floor. “Go back to sleep, Sachiko. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.”

She sat there on the floor, quietly watching him as he settled back under the blanket, his back facing her. The air was still heavy with his guilt, his sadness enveloping them. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, and it made her blush deeply. It was a very bold idea, one that she could never imagine herself suggesting. But she couldn’t leave him there all alone, sleeping on the cold hard floor, not when she had seen how he struggled and how helpless he was a few moments ago.

“Do you… want to sleep on the bed?” 

Kakashi sighed again. “I’m good, Sachiko. You take the bed.”

“Well, what I meant was… the bed’s large enough for two, so....” 

Kakashi’s shoulders stiffened. Her heart started beating furiously, and she panicked as she fumbled for words. “W-well, of course we’ll just sleep! I’ll make sure there’s still space between us! It’s just that… after seeing you a while ago, it just doesn’t sit well with me to let you sleep there on the floor all alone, you know…” She bit her lip and softly slapped her forehead. She must have sounded like a fool to him.

He didn’t move from his position. Her heart continued to beat fast, waiting for his response. The suspense was killing her. After a while of no response from him, she picked up the last remaining pieces of her dignity and stood up, climbing into bed. “Well, the offer still stands… if ever you change your mind…”

After another moment of silence, Kakashi sighed. He stood up, taking his blanket and pillow from the ground and walked towards the bed. “Alright,” he relented, climbing into bed, “but I’ll take the side near the door.”

Sachiko moved towards the other side, settling under the blanket as Kakashi lay down on his. They both lay on the bed, silent and still with their backs facing each other. There was still a small gap separating their bodies, but it was close enough for her to feel his body heat. She could hear him breathe, and apart from the loud beating of her heart, their breaths were the only sounds audible in the stillness of the night.

“Mizuhara.”

She blinked, startled by his voice. She moved a little bit to peek at his form behind her, but she saw that he hadn’t moved. “Huh?”

“Mizuhara,” Kakashi repeated, his back still turned on her. “Where did you get the name?”

“Oh,” she muttered, shifting her body back to its former position. “It was my father’s.”

She felt his side of the bed move and stop, feeling his eyes on her back. She stared blankly ahead at the wall before her and fell silent for a bit before she spoke again. “My father wasn’t a Chage; my mom was. When he married my mom, he took her family name.”

“Hmm,” Kakashi hummed. “Is that a custom in your family?”

“Sort of,” she shrugged, her eyes still fixed on the wall before her. “My grandparents wanted her to keep the family name in case she bears a child inheriting the abilities. In which case, she did. So my dad took her name… which honestly, I think was the most stupid decision he had ever made.” The words left a slightly bitter taste in her mouth. She didn’t really mean to make it sound that way, but she couldn’t help still feel a bit of anger over what happened to her father. Kakashi didn’t speak, and he quietly waited for her to continue.

“During the Third Shinobi war, enemies from the other countries found out about my father’s connection to the Chage clan. Of course they didn’t know that he wasn’t directly related, but they mistook that he was. Because of that, he was a direct target and was killed during an ambush. The enemies wanted to escape with his body, probably to experiment with it, but his comrades luckily retrieved him from them…”

“I’m sorry, Sachiko.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry.” She sighed softly. “I mean, it was the war; death was inevitable. But… sometimes I can’t help but think that if he had kept his last name, he wouldn’t have been targeted and maybe he might have survived?” She exhaled through her nose, laughing bitterly. “Well, I guess that’s the curse of families with kekkei genkai. People will always want to know and covet your abilities. Now I kind of understand too why my uncle was so protective of me growing up. Not that I had the choice, anyway...” 

“... Because of my father’s death, I kind of hated being part of the clan, and more so being a shinobi. I hated the system, the greed for power and control, how people were losing families and friends… everything about it. I just didn’t understand how the system could disregard the life of a shinobi and use them as tools, completely disregarding the fact that we are human beings, too... ”

“And yet, here you are.”

“And yet, here I am,” she sighed once more. “I realized there’s really nothing I can do about it other than make the most out of the life I’ve been given. I can leave and abandon my life being a shinobi, but what would that make me? If I do, then I would be abandoning my duty also to my village, my family and my friends… and that would be the same as abandoning them itself, right?”

“So what changed you?”

Sachiko kept quiet. Scenes at the memorial stone from years ago flashed back in her head, and she could still remember the words that Kakashi had said to the three children. Words that had changed her life, that had redirected her towards the right path. She could never forget the impact that those words had on her, and how it formed the image of the man who was now lying beside her, whom she had grown such great respect for.

“A certain shinobi helped me,” she muttered softly in the dark, a smile forming in her lips that he couldn’t see. “He helped me find my way back.”

She felt the mattress move and imagined Kakashi’s body turning back on her, completely oblivious to the smile on her lips. “He must be an honorable shinobi, then.”

“Yes, he is,” she whispered, and she felt another wave of warmth fill her inside. Her smile crept wider. “He’s just too stupid sometimes to not realize it.”

“Well, you’ll have to tell him so he’ll know,” he advised her, his tone hinting that he didn’t have the slightest idea. 

“Oh, I do remind him. All the time.” By this time, a grin had replaced her smile. “I just couldn’t get right through that thick skull of his.” Kakashi hummed in return and fell quiet once again. She reveled in the secret which only she knew.  _ If only you know _ . There was a small urge in her to let him know that it was him, but she decided that perhaps in another time, she would.

“You know, sometimes I still miss my father,” she mused as she changed the subject, her gaze far away as she recalled memories of her youth. “He was a kind and caring man. He was quiet and wasn’t really affectionate, but he expressed his love through his acts of service. When I was a child, I would usually have nightmares, and he would read to me in my bed until I would be no longer afraid to go back to sleep. He never imposed, but he would silently encourage me in all my endeavors. He would always make sure me and my sister were happy, and I think if it were up to him he would make sure also that we follow our own paths.”

“He seemed like a caring and supportive father to you,” Kakashi said.

“Yes, he truly was. He was a good man,” Sachiko mused, her tone pensive. She wanted to ask him, but waited for a moment until she found the courage to. “Kakashi... what was your father like?”

Another wave of silence fell between them. For a moment, Sachiko regretted asking him. Was he offended? She didn’t mean to open an old wound, but she wanted to know what he thought of his father.

The silence between them continued to stretch on for what seemed like minutes, and it was only after a while that Kakashi let out a barely audible sigh and answered her. “He was a good man, too. Very kind and gentle. My mother passed away when I was young, so he took care of me all on his own. He always made sure to be there for me, even picking me up at the playground every afternoon.” She heard a soft chuckle escape his lips. “He was a caring and selfless shinobi, always thinking about the safety and welfare of his comrades above his own.” She thought there was sadness in his tone after he had said that, and she felt a faint, thin veil of loneliness hanging in the air.

“He seemed like a really good man. I am sure he was a great ninja, too,” she warmly assured him.

“Yes, he was.”

“Sounds like you, then?”

He suddenly chuckled, and the loneliness lessened slightly but there was a hint of bitterness in his tone. “I’m hardly like him.”

She flinched a little at the response. “You’re too hard on yourself sometimes, you know?” she joked, trying to lighten the mood a little bit. She wasn’t sure what he meant. She knew that as a child, Kakashi resented his father for how he died, but did he still resent him now? She wanted to apologize and tell him it wasn’t what she meant, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to know that she knew about his father’s disgrace.

“Kakashi?” She called out to him, hoping she hadn’t offended him.

Kakashi hummed in return, slightly moving his body to face her.

“I meant what I said by the river.” She didn’t feel him move, but she felt his eyes bore into her back.

“I mean, if ever you need someone to talk to, I’m here. I’ll listen.” The loneliness in the air faded until there was only the faintest hint of it left, and she felt the bed move again as Kakashi turned to his other side. “Thank you,” he murmured. “Again, I appreciate it.”

“No problem,” Sachiko assured him, and she made a smile again that unfortunately he couldn’t see.

Silence fell in the room once more, and she heard his breath go steady as he finally drifted off to sleep. The stillness of the night caused her eyes to become heavy, and not too long, she found them closing against her will. Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open to the same sounds she had heard earlier. Still dazed and drunk from her interrupted sleep, she instinctively turned to face his back and pulled him to an embrace. Her arm enveloped his chest as her hand found his, and her body was flushed against his warm back. Before she could realize what she had done, her eyes closed completely and she peacefully drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I’d like to thank you all who are supporting and reading my fic! It really means a lot to me! I never actually expected anyone to ever read this because I started writing this for myself, but seeing some of you like and comment on the chapters is really very heartwarming to me. It motivated me to continue writing and making screenshots especially during the times that I felt so down and doubting of myself.
> 
> I’d just like to announce though that although I’ll still be continuing this story, I’m afraid I might no longer add screenshots from my gameplay in The Sims. :( So it will instead become a proper fanfic than a simstory itself. The reason for this decision is because life and work became really hectic lately, and I could barely find the time or create screenshots anymore. Making screenshots, staging the setting and the sims, searching for poses and custom content online to go with the story really take up so much of my time that it stresses me out, therefore taking out the fun in writing this story. And I want to finish this story! I really do... I feel like I should especially since I’ve laid out the general storyline and want to explore this side of Kakashi so much. I’m sorry though if this has disappointed anyone following this story especially for the screenshots. I hope you’d still continue to read it because I promise you it’s gonna get very good as the story goes by. If ever you decide not to, it’s really fine with me though and I’m still grateful you even gave this story a chance. :)
> 
> I will still post some screenshots from time to time, maybe as special promotional stills (like in movies lol). Anyway, thank you again and have a great day!


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